


Worlds Apart

by LuciaWilt



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Age Difference, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Male Character, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Dirty Talk, Drinking, Drunken Confessions, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, M/M, Panic Attacks, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post-Series, Rape, Slow Burn, Timeline Shenanigans, Unresolved Sexual Tension, slightly AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 22:59:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 22
Words: 76,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11171877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciaWilt/pseuds/LuciaWilt
Summary: That really was not how she thought taking a nap would end.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Things I shouldn't be doing:  
> this  
> Things that own my ass:  
> Fire Emblem
> 
> So I have no idea where this came from. And in the next chapter, you will start to see the small AU changes that will happen. It won't be too large, but it will mainly pertain to the geography of this fire emblem world, the time line (after Chrom's life really), and the way magic works. Just saying, Chrom is pretty beefy here. Not like, Ike Radiant Dawn beefy, but more so than Chrom is in the game. If you are wondering what she looked like when she was falling, think of the scene from the movie Inferno where the woman breaks through the ceiling and falls from the attack.

“Oh? I apologize. I did not know that you two were in here.” Robin said as he walked into the room. It was oddly quiet; but he soon realized it was because of the activity the two girls were partaking in. Morgan, his sweet little 6 year old Morgan, had one of his tactical books spread out before her. Lucina was lying down next to her with some other book. Upon closer inspection when he walked forwards, he saw that it was a little fictional novel. What it was about, he did not know. But it sure was a great day to stay indoors. Heavy rain, the rare heavy rain that Ylisse would occasionally get, was pouring down heavy upon the castle. There was something odd about them being here in the extra library though. First, why did they not just go to the main one? And secondly, where were the rest of the kids? The many of the Shepherds still live within the city walls; and many on castle grounds. All of the children were very close so Robin found it odd that Lucina and Morgan were not with them.

“Father! What are you doing?” Morgan finally noticed him. They shared many traits, one of them being that when he got into a book; he got INTO it. You could practically scream at his face and he would still be focused on what he was reading. Lucina glanced up as well and gave him the usual look of suspicion. It still had not gone away, not entirely at least. He could still remember the past when it was so bad she nearly killed him. That had been quite the problem. He was lucky that she was as young as she was now though. The most she could do was hurt his legs, if that. 

“I was looking for a book. It was not in the main library so I suspected it would be in here. Do not mind me though.” He walked past them and over to the shelves. Lucina had to have lit some of the candles in here because it was light enough for him to look. It did not take long though. He quickly grabbed what he had been looking for and headed back. 

“Why are the two of you not with your friends?” It was a good question that only got him a look from Lucina and a tilt of the head from Morgan. They made it seem as though he was the biggest idiot for asking such a question. Now he was wondering where they learned to react in such a way.

“Well a lot of them have never seen rain before. Or, at least most of them don’t want to go out in the rain. And you know that Owain is sick.” Morgan was not wrong about that. Owain was indeed bed ridden and most of the children of the Shepherds had never seen rain. It would probably be quite a fright for the kids. So Robin nodded and turned to head back out. He told the two of them to remember to go and get something to eat since it was the middle of the day before walking to his “families” wing. Well it was just him and Morgan. And both were actually quite uncomfortable with the exuberance of it all. Having started the journey working in the army, all the luxuries were a bit much. Alas, Chrom would not have no for an answer so he allowed the Exalt to spoil him and Morgan. 

Once she and Lucina agreed to go and eat soon, he headed out. It was a quick walk to his wing; which he had Chrom set up. Either way, he was glad to be back. If he was being honest, he shouldn’t have stayed as long as he did. He just had no idea that Lucina and Morgan would be there. 

There were some rather pertinent things that he needed to research before Chrom got back to Ylisse. Robin was hoping to find everything out, or at least get most of it sorted. Chrom was on his annual trip to Valm and to have a strategy half way looked through when he got back would be foolish on Robin’s part. So once he got back to his office, he sat down and got to work.

The work was tedious but fulfilling; especially because he would be protecting Ylisse, his home. There had been some problems in Valm actually, which now that he thought about Chrom being there he was concerned. But he had Panne, Fredrick, and Stahl all with him. They were fearsome warriors so if something happens, they had Chrom’s back. Not to mention Chrom himself. Yes he was the Exalt, had been for over 10 years, but that did not mean he fought like a beast. Chrom was still the strongest warrior in the land. So perhaps it was more Chrom looking after those three. They were there just to cover. 

But Robin’s work in the castle, studying up on the recent politics of Valm; and even some of the past cultural rifts, was extremely important. There had been some small “uprisings” recently. Really they would be classified more like riots. They had only occurred in smaller villages in the southern part of the continent. However they had started going further and further north, closer to where the capital and Chrom were. Most of the news was that crops had not been growing and the food supply had been running shorter and shorter. 

Which, as Robin read more of Valm’s past, was not a good sign. It was like a repeat of the events that had happened around 1000 years ago. Those events, of course, led to a war that engulfed the entire continent and lead to the creation of Valm itself considering it used to be Valentia. 

Robin made a steeple out of his fingers and rested his chin on it. He had turned his desk around long ago to look out the window so he simply stared at the rain. There was a brief moment where he just watched the clouds and rain roll by before he stood and opened the windows. Now he worked to the sound of the rain, something to calm him as he continued to think about recent news, about the reason he was looking into all of this.

There had been word of a small riot at the southern Ylisse border. His stomach had dropped when the messenger told this to him. What would Chrom do? Of course he would ride out and solve the problem himself; even without knowing the context of the riot in the first place. Chrom was just like that, fool headed but big of heart. That’s why Robin could never leave him alone. And that’s why Robin wanted to get so much done in Chrom’s absence. The more he could get done, the safer Chrom would be when he got back. Luckily he was supposed to arrive home in a couple of days. 

So Robin continued. He continued reading about the economy. He read about the religions revolving around Duma and Mila. He read about the agriculture and the native music, dance, and art. Robin needed to know as much as he could about Valm and it’s past to understand the reasoning behind these new problems. And who knows? Perhaps he would be traveling to Valm sometime soon so he could fix the problem himself. Though he was hopping it did not come to that. Because if it did, that would mean the riots only got more and more violent.

That would be the only reason to send the chief tactician; to swiftly put an end to the fights before a war broke out. So he turned to get back to work, but paused; a pen right above the blank paper.

What was that?

What had he just heard? It sounded like someone had shouted, but perhaps he hadn’t heard it correctly. He shrugged and continued to write, but stopped once again. This time, he stood and slowly walked over to the door to his office. That had absolutely been a shout. It sounded really like a scream actually. Through the sound of the thunder, he could make out more noises. Robin was about to reach for the door handle when it flew open. Maribelle stood before her. Now he was really surprised. The noblewoman never came to see him; at least not by himself. If she did swing by, Lissa was by her side. “Oh? What can I do for you Maribelle?” He asked the blonde. There was a moment where he did not notice her hard panting; as though she had just sprinted from wherever she had been. “Maribelle? Is something wrong?” Robin felt his concern rise. Yes it had been a little over a decade since the war ended, but it was like the anxiety never left him. He was always looking over his shoulder, always waiting for something to come and get him; to come and get the ones he loved. 

It took a few more seconds for Maribelle to catch her breath but when she did, she said something that made Robin turn cold. 

“No time to explain. There is too much blood.” All he could do was follow. He was not exactly sure what she meant, but he did know it did not bode well. So they sprinted back through the hallways, Maribelle leading him. He was surprised when they came to the main meeting hall. It was a large thing; the room where all the noble houses would come and speak to the Exalt. It was a place to plan out the direction of the country, though the Exalt always had the last say on decisions. And in actuality when Chrom was not there, Lissa stepped into the roll. That had to be the reason why she was already there. Or at least, one of the reasons. If someone was hurt, she was one of the best medics in the country; perhaps the continent. So Maribelle and Robin pushed on until they came to the door. Just as she had done in his office, Maribelle slammed through.

When Robin followed, he nearly froze. Yes the person was severely injured. Yet something was off. Something was wrong. He ran up anyways and knelt down beside the woman. The first thing he noticed, aside from the blood, was the way she was dressed. The shirt was strange, the pants were strange, the shoes were strange; everything was strange. They were brightly colored. Her pants were far too tight to be considered “proper” in Ylisse. Because of that, he already could tell she was not from the country. “Who is this?” He asked. Lissa was already using her staff. The glow covered most of the room, even making the nobles step back some. Not that Robin really cared. He was never that fond of them considering they accused him of being a spy for years. 

A groan from the woman caused Robin to look back down. She was conscious; though her eyes looked unfocused and red. It had to be from the injury.

“That is the problem. We have no idea.” Maribelle started as Lissa pulled up the strange shirt. It had not buttons on the front. Robin really could not stop himself as he reached out. Though most of it was covered in blood, he was able to find some that wasn’t. How odd, he thought to himself as he rubbed the cloth. It felt like the cotton they used to make their own clothing; but it looked so different and abnormal. Then his eyes slid to where the blood was coming from and saw how severe the wound really was. Not only were her ribs bruised to the point of the area being black, but a piece of the bone was sticking out. The white bit looked so bright compared to the amount of blood that was gushing around it. Maribelle took a breath at the sight then continued. “I was watching. She just appeared out of nowhere near the ceiling,” Robin looked up, his hand still gripping the part of her shirt. The meeting hall was gorgeous with a window above them made of designed glass. When it was sunny, the shades of light that would appear in the room were incredible. Of course all he could see now though was fat droplets of rain. The thing was though was that had to be almost twenty feet up. If she dropped from that height, of course her rib would be poking out of her skin. He would be surprised if she did not have more broken ribs. “And then she fell in the middle of the room.” 

But appearing out of nowhere. What could that possibly mean? And where was she from? He continued to hold the cloth as he looked back down. She was still covered in sweat even as Lissa worked on healing her. She had to have more than one broken rib. 

In that moment, it was like something washed over him. He had no idea what it was but he moved so he was slightly cradling her head. With that movement of her body, she seemed to finally realize Robin had shown up. Her shivering eyes caught his visage, but not much else. Something that did catch Robin’s attention was the wetness that formed in his lap underneath her skull.

She had smashed her head as well. Blood was pooling on his lap. “We need to get her out of here. We need to get her to a bed or just…somewhere else.” He really just did not like the nobles whispering and watching. However it seemed as though the two woman agreed for Lissa stood, Maribelle following. Robin gently tucked his arm underneath her knees and behind her back, wincing slightly as she groaned as he sat her up. With a quick heft, he had her up in his arms; however it was not exactly stable. “Can you move?” Not that he was going to let her walk. But somehow she groaned out something that sounded like a yes. “Can you put your arms around my neck?” Thankfully, the bone was sticking out of her right side or she would have been in a world of pain as she wrapped her arms around him. This way, the 31 year old was able to walk with her. 

“Where…” Robin looked down. Her hazy looking eyes were staring at his face. “Where am I?” It was a quiet question but he heard it considering her mouth was right beside his ear. Instinctively, his arms gripped a little tighter around her form. They all got to the steps. He was not exactly sure where Lissa was taking him, but he did not mind. This woman just needed help. 

“You are in Ylisse. You are actually in the capital…in the castle.” Her eyes squinted in obvious confusion. Robin waited for a few moments before he spoke again. “Do you remember what you were doing last?”

He had to shift her a bit which caused her to moan in pain. A quick little apology from him had her curling up a bit. “The airplane…the airplane had just taken off. It was a flight back to Texas. I remember falling asleep, then I was here.” 

…

…

What?

~’~

_Andrew_

_[8:00 p.m.] When will you be back?_

__[8:01 p.m.] It will take a couple of hours since I am flying in from Portland. Time change and all that stuff. Oh. Gotta go. They are telling us to shut off our electronics._ _

__

She sighed as she switched her phone to airplane mode. The little symbol showed up at the top corner, signaling that the phone function of her device was turned off. Once that was done, she put it into her purse which she then set beneath her feet. Really she hated flying if she were to be honest. It wasn’t like she was afraid of heights or anything. It was just that she hated the feeling. Headaches would always occur so she really tried to get some sleep. 

The pilot drove the plane around a bit until they hit the runway. Once she felt the pull of them blasting down the long track, she rested her head on the tray table. Might as well start now, she thought to herself as her eyes slipped shut. There was no point in staying awake any longer if she knew she was going to fall asleep. Luckily it came quickly; nearly right after she shut her eyes. It was smooth at first, the flight going well. But then something changed.

She felt herself drop some. Whether it was in her dream or the plane experiencing turbulence, she was not sure. But then she felt it again, this time more sustained. Her eyes flew open but she was not on the flight. Oh no. Everything around her was black. The only thing she could see was her own body when she looked down. She had to be dreaming. That would explain it. She had ones like this in the past; where she is the only thing in existence. Yet light started to grow around her. It was grey and dull, but light none the less. I took her a moment to realize what was happening since her depth perception had been at zero in the darkness. She was moving. The light was drawing closer and closer. Wait a second… She was falling! Though she knew it was a dream, it felt so real. Was it in the plane? It felt like turbulence, like when the plane drops a couple of feet. Yet this was continuous. Something was wrong. 

Wake up.

Wake up.

Wake up!

Yet it was too late. The light was around her. Well, something completely new was around her. She barely had time to fully take in her surroundings before she slammed onto solid ground. Her head whipped back and cracked on the stone. Her ribs also took a major hit. So much so that she screamed in agony. When she looked down, blood was already starting to pool on her shirt. Oh god. This was real. Being a boxer, she had injuries before. She knew the difference between a dream and reality; and this was as real as it could get. 

She started to look around though and found that she was definitely not on the plane. She was in the middle of some great hall. It looked like something that would be in a medieval show. That thought was only punctuated with the people standing around with shocked faces. They were all dressed like characters from said show. What was happening? She had to be going crazy from the pain. Maybe this was really in the plane. Maybe it had crashed and she was hallucinating. 

Suddenly a blonde girl, or well, a blonde woman rushed over. She was wearing quite a bit of pink and had brown slacks on as well as brown boots. Her incredibly curly hair bounced as she knelt down beside her. “Lissa!” The shout from the woman’s mouth cause to groan in pain. Everything seemed so loud. Then another blonde woman came over. She was dressed in a beautiful yellow dress that had brown accents to it as well. She knelt down on the other side of her bleeding body and was looking over everything with a watchful eye. Then she pulled out what looked to be a walking stick with a large blueish green orb at the top. When she hovered it over the injury on her ribs, she jerked a bit which only caused another groan.

“I will not hurt you. But you must be still.” The woman, Lissa, looked up. “Maribelle, could you go and get Robin. We will need his help.” Maribelle stood and rushed off. The entire time she was gone, Lissa was moving the staff back and forth; the glow continuing to bath her body in light. It was so bizarre. She felt a weird heat in her body. To be honest, she was not sure whether it was because of the weird light or the bleeding in her ribs. Either way, it was like nothing she had ever felt before. Right before Maribelle came back with this “Robin”, she could hear the sounds of the people around them. They were whispering and muttering to each other, which she was not too shocked about. Who wouldn’t be surprised at someone falling into a room; or at least that’s what she thought happened. 

There was some noise to her right then Maribelle was back with someone else. She felt her stomach tighten. I am bleeding out and now this handsome man gets to watch me, she thought to herself. Robin, presumably, looked to be in his early 30’s. His hair was shaggy and a little short; white as newly fallen snow. He had beautiful amber eye and was wearing some ornate looking coat. Was that black? She could not really tell at the moment. But Maribelle spoke to him as Lissa continued to do whatever she was doing; the heat continuing as well. There was something that grabbed onto her shirt which she realized was Robin. He stayed like that for a few moments before, to her surprise, he moved so her head was sitting in his lap. In this position, she knew she was bleeding on his pants, but could also see what was happening much better. 

Yes she had broken her rib, but that was not the end of it. She wanted to vomit upon seeing a bone sticking from the skin. Lissa seemed to have been cleaning up some of the blood because right around the bone there was a dark black bruise as well. 

Suddenly Robin was putting his arms under her. She had missed the entire section of the conversation where they were going to move. All she could catch was him asking her to put her arms around his shoulders; which she somehow did. He hefted her up and started to walk along. 

Somehow she was able to ask him where she was. It hurt just to speak so she counted that as some sort of victory. He paused though; before answering her question. She was just really wondering as she caught little bits of her surroundings. It was so odd. She felt like she was on some sort of movie set. 

“You are in Ylisse. You are actually in the capital…in the castle.” In that moment she thought she misheard him. Ylisse? What country did he really mean? And what castle? The only castles she knew of where in old Europe. Or at least, the “traditional castle”; the one she thought she was seeing around her as they walked down the hallways. He then turned his head a bit, asking her about remembering or something along those lines. 

She just started to talk about the last things she could recall. “The airplane…the airplane had just taken off. It was a flight back to Texas. I remember falling asleep, then I was here.” Alas she could not catch his reaction for blackness enveloped her from losing too much blood.

~’~

“My lord.” Fredrick walked up to Chrom’s side. The Exalt had been standing by the railing to the ship, watching the far reaching open waters in front of him. It was peaceful. It was one of the many things he enjoyed when traveling by ship; especially the trip back from Valm. 

“Yes?”

“We should be arriving in Ylisse in two days’ time. If the weather is agreeable, it will be cut down to one.” They had already been traveling a few days, so that was good news. While he did love going overseas, he loved his home land more. Being home would, being with his loved ones, would lift his spirits quite a bit. So he nodded and continued to look out upon the waters. While he would have hoped for Fredrick to walk away after that, he knew better. The older man stood as still as a statue beside him. 

“Is there something you need Fredrick?” Chrom asked. He knew what was wrong.

“I am simply wondering if something is wrong with his highness. I know that you do not get sea sickness, so I suppose that something else is ailing you.” He paused. Over the years, Fredrick had lightened up a bit. The knight realized that Chrom was indeed powerful and capable of looking after himself; though he did not entirely leave Chrom’s side. Old habits die hard and all that. And Chrom was not too upset about it. It was nice knowing that Fredrick would always be by his side.

He sighed, though, at how perceptive the old knight was. “I just have an ominous feeling about something.”

“Oh?”

“I suppose it is nothing,” Chrom did not say anything about how his mark felt oddly hot. Over the years, he had grown more comfortable with covering it up. Robin teased him mercilessly about wearing normal shirts. “But I just have a feeling that…” He stopped again. “I am quite unsure actually. It is just an odd feeling.” Fredrick actually nodded at that; as though he completely understood Chrom’s strange ramblings. 

“I believe that getting you home would be for the best. You can spend some time with Lucina and the others.” Chrom could not agree more with that. “Just call for me if you need anything else my lord.” With that Fredrick walked off. Over the years, after he had become Exalt, Chrom just stopped trying to get people to just call him Chrom. It became too tiring after the 600th time. While he still did not like being called “highness” and “lord”, he gradually got used to it. And considering he was 32 years old, he thought it was about time to accept who he was.

And he had to also accept his occasional prophetic abilities. Well, they were not exactly prophetic. But he would get these uneasy feelings before calamities and horrible events. Chrom had only ever told Robin, considering the man had been cursed with horrible nightmares for quite some years. He understood Chrom’s plight and kept it a secret, allowing the Exalt to always come to him if he needed assistance with something. The anxious pit growing in his stomach only got worse and worse with each passing hour. He was thankful that the weather was being polite for he really did need to get back home.

~’~

Right as land came into sight, Stahl came jogging up to him. A messenger hawk was flying back towards land while the brunette held a letter in his hand. Oh? “For you.” Stahl handed the paper to Chrom who then opened it up. At first it was like his eyes could not focus on the words. But finally he was able to see. It was Robin’s handwriting. Yet it was quickened and quite scrawled, as though he had been in a rush. 

_Chrom. I understand that you should be arriving in the next few days. Everyone is doing well, though tired of the rain that had blown in. Lucina and Morgan have been reading while many of the kids have been sick. I count my blessings that the two of them have not succumbed to any illness. I am sure that they will be over the moon once you are back home where you belong. I anxiously await your return._

Hmm. That was odd. Robin rarely sent a messenger hawk to him. Not unless something urgent and worrying happened. Yet this note was rather bland and normal aside from the handwriting, which was usually even and neat. That same feeling came rushing back to him as he tucked the letter into his coat. “Thank you Stahl. Please inform the captain that we should pick up speed. I would like to be on land sooner than later.” Presuming his Exalt just wanted to be home, Stahl ran off, leaving Chrom to his own thoughts. Perhaps I should have asked him to stay here, Chrom said to himself. Either way, the captain was quick and they were back on solid ground before long. Their horses they had taken to Valm were unloaded which they quickly mounted and sped off. Panne had transformed and was scouting ahead. Luckily, nothing was in their way so the trip was uneventful. However, just as Robin had stated in the letter, it was pouring rain still in the capital. Because of that, barely anyone was out and about in the city. Not that Chrom minded. He understood, for he wished to be inside as well. 

They made their way through and finally came to the castle. At that point, it was rather late at night so he suspected Lucina and Morgan were already asleep. Really he thought that Robin would be asleep as well. Or, maybe not. Robin was a night owl after all. So Chrom excused himself from Fredrick, Stahl, and Panne and headed towards Robin’s wing in the castle to see if the man was still awake. At first it was quiet. He almost assumed that Robin was in fact asleep. 

However Chrom thought that too soon for suddenly someone rounded the corner. It was a woman that was dressed rather scantily in some sort of short sleeved shirt and shockingly tight pants. Right before she ran into him, she spun about and spotted his body; spinning out of the way with great grace before the collided. He was shocked at her agility considering he spotted the giant splotch of blood on her shirt. 

Wait.

Blood.

His own ran cold at the thought of this woman being some sort of assassin from Plegia, coming to take revenge after all this time. At that, he grabbed her wrists in either of his hands as fast as she could. Immediately she fought back; throwing her tall body back and forth to get him to let go.

“Get away from me!” She screamed. Good. If she was an assassin, someone would have heard her. He was shocked when she jumped and slammed both of her feet against his chest simultaneously. Luckily he had grown sturdier and sturdier over the years. So even with her height, which he presumed to be about Robin’s, and her higher muscle mass than the mages, she did not move him. 

“I can’t.” He simply responded while holding her wrist tighter. Chrom knew he was hurting her, but if she hurt his family then it would be justified. He was about to start dragging her away when Robin rounded the same corner. When the white haired male spotted the two of them, he shouted. 

“Chrom! Let her go!” 

“What?” He looked over towards his partner. 

“Let her go Chrom.” Then he looked back and blanched. How had he not noticed how still she got? Not only that but she grew weaker and weaker in his hands. Her body was hunched over slightly and then he saw blood dripping down from her mouth and splattering on the floor next to his boots. Oh. OH! Well obviously something happened so without another word he lifted her up into his arms and walked back towards Robin. She was still conscious, but slightly blubbering from the blood in her mouth. 

“May I have an explanation?” Chrom asked as Robin led him back to one of the empty bedrooms in Robin’s wing. They walked in and one of the first things he noticed while heading to the bed to set her down was one of Robin’s books on the floor. He put the bleeding woman down and picked the book up.

Robin shuffled a bit, but stared at the woman none the less. “Well it is a little hard to explain. If we are being honest, she doesn’t even know.”

“I really don’t.” Somehow the woman was able to speak, though it was garbled. Chrom watched, slightly fascinated as Robin sat down on the bed beside her. The white haired male grabbed a slightly damp cloth from the bedside table and wiped the blood from her mouth and her neck. All the while, the woman was panting, but it was slowly subsiding. In those moments, she glanced up at Robin. “I’m sorry I hit you with your book.” She mumbled out. 

For some reason that was rather hilarious to Chrom; to the point of him having to cover his laughter up with his hand as he stood beside Robin. “It is alright. You have been sleeping for a couple of days. You must have forgotten where you were considering I told you when you first appeared. It must have been quite a fright.” The woman nodded. Chrom noticed that as she sat still, color slowly came back to her face. 

Wait. Appeared? “I don’t wish to push, but may I be updated as to what happened?” He thought he might as well have the right to know considering this was his castle as well as his country. Chrom sat down in the chair that Robin must have been using and waited for one of them to answer. It was the woman first.

“Well…. I appeared in that big hall….and fell…from the ceiling.”

“Oh?” That really told him little to nothing. But perhaps that’s really all they knew. His eyes slid over to Robin.

“She is telling the truth. That is about all we know. Maribelle was in there as well as many of the nobles. It has been the buzz of all the circles and many have been waiting to see what you would do once you got back.” So she just appeared out of nowhere. 

“Do you recall what you were doing before you showed up in the meeting hall?” Chrom asked. She nodded.

“I was on a flight back from New York. I was headed to Texas and we had just take off. I sleep on airplanes so I had just fallen asleep as well; and then I woke up falling from that ceiling.” 

Chrom looked over to Robin and he seemed just as confused, though he probably heard all of that before. Airplane? New York? Texas? What were all those things? He knew none of that was Plegian, so he felt confident saying she was not from Robin’s home land. But the circumstance of it all was suspicious. She sounded ignorant enough of it all, and the words she used were utterly foreign to his world, but the way she showed up reeked of a mage. 

That level of magic though…. That seemed far stronger than what most mages were capable of. Chrom suspected it was some sort of dark magic. “What are you thinking Chrom?” Robin asked. The woman looked towards Robin for a moment before looking towards the Exalt. 

“I’m thinking that my bad feeling was right. I suspect that she is a victim of some sort of spell. A powerful dark mage’s spell.” 

“Spell, mage, what?” She asked. Chrom’s suspicions were confirmed. Unless she was a brilliant actress, he doubted she knew anything about what happened to her. “Ugh I’m so confused.” She groaned while rubbing her temples. Chrom could feel her plight; he suspected Robin could as well. To be thrust into something you have no clue about. It was no wonder she probably had a headache. 

“I apologize. Tonight is probably not the best time to explain everything. We can continue having this conversation in the morning.” He knew Fredrick would be furious once he found out what was happening; considering how he reacted when Robin first showed up. But perhaps Chrom just liked giving people the benefit of the doubt. He did not feel any sort of malice coming towards her, just simple confusion. So he stood from the chair at the same time as Robin. “May I ask for you name though? I am Chrom.” For some reason the thought of giving his official title as the Exalt completely escaped him. Instead, he listened to her say her name; oddly he enjoyed the sound of it. There was a brief pause between the three of them after that before Robin and Chrom turned to head towards the exit. “Well goodnight.” 

She mirrored his words and then he walked out the bedroom door. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah here we go.

_Something about her surroundings seemed odd as she slowly came back to consciousness. While she could not put her finger on it right away, the feeling did not leave her as she rolled out of bed. But what bed was it? Oh…the one she had fallen asleep in the night before; when she met Chrom and Robin. The two older men were kind and polite enough, cordial to a fault. To be honest she was surprised Robin had been so kind to her after she whacked him in the head with his hefty book. That would have definitely given her a headache._

_Aside from that though, she was facing a bigger problem. Like where the hell was she? Of course upon waking up after her injury she bolted like a deer running from a hunter. When Robin was catching Chrom up on everything that happened, she was trying to think about answers but nothing would come to her. It was the same as she stood in the bedroom. It was like an entire chunk of her brain was missing. She really did not like the feeling of it._

_Either way, she should find one of the two of them. Or at the very least look for someone to guide her in their direction. So she walked out of the room and headed in a random direction. At first she did not notice anything to particularly wrong. That feeling in the pit of her stomach was still there but nothing else. However as she rounded hall after hall, it started to hit her._

_It was never ending. Every turn she took was the same, whether she went right or left. What was happening? This….wherever she was, was obviously not like her version of “Earth”. What kind of sick twisted shit was this? She kept running and running, once again not noticing that there was no pain in her chest._

_“There has to be a way out of here!” She screamed as she continued. Yet it never stopped. The same walls and the same floor; the same horrible panic rising in her chest so fast she could barely breathe. It took a few more turns in the never ending castle before, to her relief, she saw a new image. There was an end, an end to what looked like the front doors. Though she had never gone down steps considering the room she had been in was at least one story up, she rushed towards the door; just so happy to be out of there._

_Upon pushing the doors open, she found that the nightmare was not over though. Blood. There was blood everywhere. It covered the grounds and the walls and the plants and it was raining from the sky. Her heard was beating out of her throat and she saw the bodies next. And dear god she recognized them. Though she just met the men, Robin and Chrom were there. She saw the woman named Lissa and Maribelle. There were others as well. She ran up to Robin’s body and knelt into the blood; feeling it rain down upon her. Since she was a boxer, she actually had to learn first aid so she leaned down and pressed her ear to his chest._

_Nothing._

_She heard nothing._

_“No no no.” Next she moved to Lissa and Maribelle, only to find similar situations. When she reached Chrom, she had more luck; though the beat was feint. “Chrom?” He was lying on his back as she grabbed his shoulders and shook him a bit. Of course that was the wrong thing to do in situations like this, but she was freaking out. After a few more seconds his eyelashes, soaked in blood, slowly fluttered open. She moved so she was shielding his eyes from the raining blood. “Chrom!”_

_He whispered her name in confusion. “What are you doing here?” His voice was raspy and slightly accusing. What was she doing here?_

_“I don’t know but I have to get you inside.”_

_“No. No you need to run. You have to get away. He is coming for you.”_

_“What?” Who was coming for her? He had to be hallucinating or something. While she did not see any physical evidence of an injury, she was sure he was hurt. How? She would just have to find out. So even though Chrom was groaning to tell her to run, she slowly got him up; one of her arms wrapped around his waist with one of his wrapped around her shoulder. The man was as heavy as he looked. While Robin was about her height and not too bulky looking under all that cloth, Chrom was huge. He stood a couple of inches taller than her and far more muscular as well._

_“Leave me.”_

_“I won’t!” They were making it, albeit slowly. The stairs up to the castle doors would be a problem. Plus the blood made the stone rather slick. She moved over so they were closer to the railing so she could slightly lean on it as they made their way up. She had no idea why she was doing this. It ripped a hole in her heart to leave the three others, but they were quite clearly dead. If she could have, she would have saved them. They pulled this strange feeling out of her; like she had to save them no matter what._

_It was like she just couldn’t walk away._

_Yet they were about half way up when Chrom’s weight took her down to the steps. He slammed onto the stone and nearly passed out. She was bewildered because yes the stones were slippery but she had a good grip on him. Upon turning around, she wondered if the cause was there. Standing in the blood rain at the bottom of the steps was a cloaked man. The hood was pulled down and he had wild hair. It was white but turned red from the rain. Upon his face was a mask she had seen before._

_“A plague mask?” The long beak was sharpened at the end, more so than the Middle Ages doctor would need. The man…or maybe it was a woman, started slowly up the steps. The ominious air the thing was giving off told her she needed to run. So she turned and grabbed Chrom. Frantic, she pulled him up along with her. But it was all for naught. The “plague doctor” had made it to them. They grabbed her by the throat and threw her down the steps, completely out of both the doctors and Chrom’s reach. “No!”_

_But it was too late. She watched as they pulled a spear looking thing from their coat. With one swift movement they pierced Chrom’s chest right on the heart. The blue haired male spat up blood and gripped the spear with dying hands. “NO!” The “doctor” pulled it out and stabbed one more time before pulling it out again and walking towards her._

_Tears streamed down her eyes as she backed up. She had to get away. Yet she was not fast enough. They reached down and grabbed a handful of her hair this time. Obviously strong, they pulled her up so she was hovering just a bit off the ground. From this position she could see how big they really were. Whoever it was they had to be a bit of 7 feet. “Now I finally have you.”_

Her own screaming jolted her up and awake in the bed. Sweat was dripping like a broken faucet off of her skin as she looked down at her shaking hands, wishing that the nightmare she just experienced never happened in the first place. Dear god she must be going crazy because in that moment everything from the previous couple of days came crashing back down around her. Oh yeah, she wasn’t even…. Well, she could still be on earth. But these things didn’t happen in real life. Maybe she was in a coma or something and she had been injured in the plane. Maybe it crashed and she really did get those injuries and was just imagining it all in her head. 

But it was so real. Now she was wishing she went to medical school to study brain injuries and comas instead of going to school to become a psychologist. “Ugh shit.”

“You are awake.” A feminine voice said from the door. Lissa walked in, that staff still in her hands. A part of her wanted to throw up, thinking back to the dream she just had. But somehow she was able to keep it down as the blonde woman walked over to the side of the bed. With the midmorning sunlight streaming in through the open windows, Lissa hair looked like spun gold. She really was a stunning woman. It just made her wonder who she was. Obviously a doctor; perhaps the one that worked in the castle? When Lissa spotted how sweaty she was, she frowned. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes. Just a… a bad dream. Whatever you did the other day worked wonders. I just bugged it a bit last night.” Lissa blinked.

“What did you do last night?”

Now she was going to have to admit to what she did. “I was a little shocked when I woke up, not really remembering where I was. Robin had been sitting and reading,” She motioned towards the chair. “And he went to go get something. I grabbed his book and hit him in the head with it.” Without even being able to finish the story, Lissa burst into laughter. It was so hard that she nearly doubled over from it. “Did I say something?”

“No no. Just that you did that. I bet Robin was so shocked.” 

“Well he definitely was.” The laughter was rather contagious, allowing her a small smile through the aggravation that resettled into her veins. Once Lissa calmed down from the laughter, she got to work. “What exactly are you doing with that staff anyways?” It had been bugging her.

“I am healing you.” So she was a doctor. Yet….

“How are you doing it?” Now this got a strange look from Lissa, as though SHE was the one that was asking bizarre questions.

“I am a cleric. I am using light magic to heal you.” The words Chrom had spoken last night came back to her.

_“I’m thinking that my bad feeling was right. I suspect that she is a victim of some sort of spell. A powerful dark mage’s spell.”_ And here it was again, Lissa saying she was using magic. In the field of psychology she studied in, magic came up occasionally; well the “basic” courses she had to take. From a scholarly point of view, all “magic” could be explained away. 

Yet the proof was in the pudding. Whatever Lissa was doing with her “light magic” worked. She hadn’t even touched her and the rib had almost completely healed; as well as the cracked skull. Lissa continued, asking quietly if she could pull up her shirt which she allowed. “What is this that you are wearing by the way?” Lissa asked. 

“It is a sports bra.”

“A what?”

“You wear it when you are working out. It helps keep your breast from you know, bouncing around?” It was an elementary way of explaining it, but the fact that Lissa did not know what it was said volumes. “Dou you know what a bra is?” Lissa shook her head.

And there it was. 

Wherever she was…or whenever she was, did not have bras. So it was before the 1400’s since fragments of linen textiles were found in East Tyrol in Austria. That was possibly the earliest known spotting of a “bra”. “Where exactly are we again? Robin told me when I first “arrived”, but I can’t exactly remember.”

And there it was again. Lissa gave her the oddest look as she started to explain. “We are on the continent of Ylisse, in the country of Ylisse. We currently reside in the castle and capital of Ylisstol.” Lissa was now sitting on the bed beside her; watching as she rubbed her temples in confusion. “Do you really not know where that is? Where are you from?”

“Trust me. I have no idea what any of that is. And I am from North America.”

Before Lissa could respond, a light knock at the door had both woman turning; spotting Robin walking in with a smile on his face. “I am glad to see you are up.” 

~’~

“I know that you have had a tendency to pick up strays in the past but I must interject in this case my lord.” Frederick says, walking up to a quiet Chrom. Chrom had made his way out into his garden early that morning. It was because of the nightmare he had that night; so full of blood that he ended up vomiting when he awoke. It rained from the skies and painted itself all around him. Hopefully he would not have that dream again. 

But it seemed as though Frederick was up early as well, not that it was odd for the old knight to do so. He apparently heard the news of their guest from someone; those someone’s being Lissa, Robin, or Maribelle. Whoever it was, Chrom was going to have to speak with them. He wanted to tell Frederick himself, explain like he usually would have to. It would just be easier if he got the first go. Oh well. While still staring at the rose bush before him, Chrom took a deep breath. “Frederick, you must know that my gut feeling has never failed me before.” He knew that the knight could not respond to that because it was quite true. Ever since he knew Chrom, over all the years, the blue haired man’s instincts had been sharp as a blade. Chrom had not led him astray once. Of course Robin had been a close call; so much so that Frederick had gotten his first grey hair, but they survived through to the end. 

“I know sir b-“

“Peace.” Chrom said, holding his hand up. Frederick got a little stiffer. “Peace and know that this woman means me no harm. You may not trust her, and you may not trust me on this; but I believe that she means me no harm. She does not mean this country any harm either.” He paused. Frederick took that opportunity to take one step forwards so he could see Chrom’s down turned face better. 

“I do believe that you have not spoken everything you wish to say.”

Damn Frederick for reading him so well. “I don’t think she is from this world.”

“I beg your pardon?” Was Frederick’s immediate response.

“I don’t believe that she is at least from this timeline. Perhaps that is a better way to phrase it.” Over the years they all had more than enough encounters with messed up timelines. Her being from one would make more sense than it should. And Frederick had to agree. “Perhaps it would be prudent to ask her more questions.” Chrom turned and started back towards the door. All the while, Frederick followed the Exalt; that is until Chrom stopped and turned around. “While I understand your wish to be there with me, I would prefer if you met her at some other point in time.”

Frederick wanted to disagree and argue with the Exalt, but knew it would get him nowhere. So instead he nodded with a bow before walking off; allowing Chrom to head to the room himself. When the Exalt got there, he found Lissa walking out the door. She greeted him and headed off. Still sitting inside beside the bed was Robin. “Oh hello Chrom.” She said. Robin turned at that. His good friend said hello as well.

“I am glad that you are up and awake. Was Lissa able to help with everything?” While she did nod in affirmation, there was something else that crossed over her face. It was a look of…of confusion, and of anger at being confused. So he pulled up a chair and sat beside Robin, though facing towards her instead of the side of the bed. “I guess we can continue the conversation that we were having last night.”

“Yes. I think we should.”

But no one said anything. At least not at first. She was quiet while looking down at her hands before she finally glanced up. “Could I possibly look at a map? Like a world map if you have it?” While they were slow to respod, Robin stood and exited the room to retrieve what she asked for.

“Why do you need a map?” Chrom asked.

“I have an idea, but I need to know if it is right or not.” 

Before long, Robin walked back in, having gotten his map from his office. He handed the rolled up scroll to her and the two men watched with anxious looks as she unraveled it. What would she say? What would she do? There was a brief moment where nothing happened, but then Robin spotted the change first. 

She frowned. It was a deep set thing full of confusion. “What?” Chrom could not keep himself from asking. She blinked for a few more moments before groaning.

“I didn’t think this is what I would see.” Resting the map in her lap, he saw the continents. There were six, though the largest was split by a mountain range. Ylisse was actually to the west of the mountain range, Ferox to the right. Plegia was south of Ylisse and Valm was across the ocean to the west. On the continent of Valm was the country of Valm itself, Rosanne, and Chron’sin. Why would she not expect this though? What else would there be? “Where is Ylisse?” Robin pointed it out and she just groaned further. 

“I don’t think I quite understand what is going on?” Chrom had to interject. “Do you not recognize this map?”

“No I do and that is the problem.”

“Oh well that is good though! Where would you hail from on this map?” Robin asked this time. She pulled her legs out, still covered in those tight pants, and folded them beneath her before placing the map out in front of her on the bed. She rubbed her temples before pointing towards the continent of Valm. Her finger landed right around the border of Chron’sin and Valm. “So you live in Chron’sin.”

“But that is not the name of where I live. I live in Texas.” Silence enveloped the room around them. There was no city or town in either Valm or Chron’sin named Texas. And the fact that she had no idea what or where Ylisse was had been odd. “And the name of your country should be Europe. It isn’t even a country but a continent in and of itself.” The two of them watched, completely enraptured as she went around the map and called out names completely different than what they usually were called. Yet she was so knowledgeable and sure of it. 

That’s when it hit Chrom. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? “I think you may have come from a different time.” Over the years, things get renamed and things change. It wouldn’t be so odd that she would have come from perhaps the future. He had already gone through all that. But there were some things her being from the future would not explain.

“So you mean like a time traveler?”

“I believe so yes. We have had situations dealing with time travel in the past. But there has to be another layer to it. I think you may come from a different timeline all together. While you may be from the same “physical” world as us, you come from a different version of it.”

Alas he seemed to have only upset her further because once again her hands clung to her temples. “This doesn’t happen in real life. This happens in books and in movies; not to real people.” Both of the men watched as she tried to shuffle through it all. Chrom knew that Robin agreed with him as well. The man was smart and had perhaps thought it all through before the Exalt did. It did not change the fact that she was here, someone wanted her here, and they had no idea who it was that was behind it. 

“Well even if it doesn’t happen to people that you know of, it happened to you.” Robin said suddenly. There was a cold tone in his voice, but perhaps that was what she needed to hear. She sat up and looked over to them. “Chrom would you be willing?”

“Willing?”

“To help her?” Of course he would be willing, but it was just the matter of what? What were they trying to do? Get her back to her timeline? That was probably the closest thing to a goal he could set. That road ahead of them would just be long and tedious. Not that he hadn’t dealt with things like that in the past. Plus she looked terrified. 

“I would be honored to.”

“Really! Thank you so much Chrom.” She paused. “Would I be able to leave this room? Lissa said I could move but just not too much.” The Exalt nodded and stood from the chair at the same time Robin did. He started towards the door and then turned to wait for the two of them. Robin, with his touch far more gentle than Chrom’s, was walking alongside her the entire way just in case she fell. Robin had always been a worrywart in his own way. 

The three walked down the hallways and winded around bends. “Where are we going now?” She asked.

“A garden. I thought it would be a good place to visit since you can’t move around much.” Chrom answered, his reply a hum of agreement. While they were walking, he heard her talking to Robin. 

“So where is this again? You said the capital?” 

“Yes, we are in the royal castle.” Robin said as they exited through Chrom’s wing and into the rose garden. He walked her over to a sitting area; the three of them resting in the shade. 

“Royal castle? Do you mean like, the royal family lives here?”

Oh boy she is going to get a shock, Chrom thought with a laugh. Robin seemed to be thinking the same thing since he glanced over. “What?”

Chrom motioned to himself. “You have been speaking with the Exalt of Ylisse.” And he had never seen someone’s face go so red so fast. He laughed, though feeling slightly bad that he did such a thing at her expense.

“Oh my god I can’t believe I have been regarding you so informally. You are royalty! And you never corrected me!” It looked like she wanted to just melt away into the floor in that moment. Chrom wondered if she had any royalty in her timeline. He would have to ask her about that. 

“Please. Peace. I do not mind. To be honest, I have never really enjoyed the formality of being Exalt. It never really was meant to be my title anyways?” Right as that slipped from his mouth he wished he could grab the words. The tenseness from Robin said the same thing for the white haired male.

“Oh? Do you have siblings?”

“Lissa, the woman that has been healing you, is my younger sister.” The answer did not please her though. 

“But aren’t most “kings” the oldest in the family? Why would it matter if Lissa was your sister?” The solemn air that surrounded the three of them caused her to frown. “It seems as though I have stepped over a boundary that I should not have. I apologize.” But Chrom shook his head; plastering a fake smile over his face that even she could see through. While he trusted her, felt safe about her, he was not close enough. Not close enough to explain things about the previous Exalt. At least not in that moment.

“A story for another time. Right now, I am sure that Robin would love to hear more about your world.” 

~’~

Robin was stunned. Completely and utterly stunned. He knew that Chrom was as well. The way she spoke of this world she was from; there was no way she could lie about it. There was just no way that she could spin such a vibrant fabric and history. 

“To be honest, this has been just a brief introduction.” She laughed. Brief? Robin had been studying up on the history of different nations of this world and hers was out of the charts wild. Religion, war, famine, love, governments crumbling and rising. It was a stunning saga of the planet they “shared”. He would have to ask her more about astronomy as well. That subject fascinated him. Chrom’s interest was elsewhere.

“You said that you do not have royalty in the country you live in?” 

She sighed, but with no anger or malice. “Ugh yeah. You had to be interested in one of the toughest subjects. While we do not have royalty, and we are a democratic republic, it can get quite complicated.”

“And you fought off the biggest empire on the planet at the time to get said freedom?” There was a strange wisp in Chrom’s voice. Robin was not sure if it was fear or delight. 

“Yes. That would have been around 200ish years ago? Not that it solved all of our problems.” It was her turn to pause and look down; her face covered in solemn contemplation. “War never solves problems.” Both Robin and Chrom could agree with that. While they had only been in two majors conflicts in their lifetime, war had changed their lives forever. Not only that, but Valm would occasionally still fall into conflict. Luckily they had avoided such problems on their continent for the time being. That conversation put a rather damper on the nice afternoon they had been having. At this point in the day, the sun was right above them but they still were in the shade.

Robin suspected that everyone would still be inside because of either the heat or the fact that the Exalt seemed to be having such a grand discussion and did not want to interrupt them.

Well not everyone. It seemed as though someone had slipped outside. While Robin and Chrom did not notice the person, she sure did. Though she suspected it was just the trick of the light. But they both saw how she squinted her eyes off in the distance. “Whatever is the matter?” Chrom asked, he and Robin looking over their shoulders to where she had been looking. They saw nothing. Alas the thing she had been looking at was fast.

And when they turned back at the sound of her surprised yelp, they realized who it was.

Tharja. 

The Plegian mage stood off to the side some. “And how exactly did you get out here?” Chrom asked. He wouldn’t be exactly surprised if Tharja got passed Frederick who was more than likely guarding the door. But he would still like to know. At first she said nothing and simply stood there. Her sharp eyes looked to Robin, then to Chrom with a frown, then it flipped to their visitor. That angered look flashed away and was replaced with curiosity. She walked forwards and leaned down to stare at the surprised woman. It took quite a bit to both Robin and Chrom’s surprise. Yes they usually would have stopped someone from doing something like that; but Tharja was different. Even if they told her no, she would just continue. And it wasn’t as though Tharja was actually hurting her. When she finally stood up, the men were waiting with anticipation as to what she would say.

“This woman’s magic energy is aligned with every element.”

That was not what either of them were expecting. Every mage had an element that they aligned with. Many had two or three. But very few had all four. There actually hadn’t been many in the past 100 years that could use the element of earth. “Are you sure Tharja?” Robin asked, finally able to speak again. The dark haired mage nodded.

“The pulse is strong. And I suspect you already have the basics down?”

“Wait who are you again?” She asked; completely out of the loop. Tharja blinked as though the question was the dumbest one anyone ever asked. None the less she answered and repeated her own question. “I don’t know what you mean by basics.”

“Tharja.” Chrom introduced their new guests before continuing. “She has no idea about magic. And yes she does have good basics.” By basics, Tharja meant movement. Mages channeled the elements through their body. With the motion of “punches” and “kicks”, they could move the elements to their own desire. That was one of the reasons why mages were so powerful. Not only were they relatively strong in hand to hand combat, but they could use their surroundings against their enemies. The Plegian woman looked down before switching her eyes to Robin. 

“I will train her.” But before any of them could say anything, Tharja was walking off. Of course the woman would act like that. Even after all the years Chrom knew her, she was still a mystery. None the less, Tharja rarely took a liking to others. So perhaps it was a good idea to have her train under the Plegian mage, if Tharja was being honest about the whole magical potential thing. It would be a good idea if she had more ways to protect herself while they figured out what to do. 

Though he did not know how she would react to being Tharja’s student. He guessed they would have to burn that bridge once they got there. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robin got a lot more worryish once Morgan came back into his life if you are wondering.

Darkness. Darkness seeped out of every porous opening in the room. Smoke also filled the air; from the heady candles that were lit. Those were the only sources of light within the dingy dungeon basement. “My lord.” A woman’s voice called out quietly to a man standing at an altar. That was where most of the candles were so the red cloak he was wearing looked far more sinister and blood thirsty than it really was.

“Dia. You are back.” There was no movement. Dia knew he would not move unless need be. It was always just so startling hearing her master speak when they were in the chamber. His voice sounded like it exploded from everywhere; as though it was the air itself. His voice had this ring to it… Or was it a hum? It had to be a hum. Every part of her body, all the hairs stood on end when he was like this.

“Yes I am. I had a report to bring back to you. Our spies say that your spell worked.” Silence followed for a few moments before he broke out in a deep rumbling laugh. It seemed to shake the ground around her; though it was not loud. “My lord?”

“Oh I already know that you foolish girl Dia.” Well she was not a girl. She was in her 30’s. But that was not something worth talking back about. So she simply continued to listen to him. Still he was as frozen as a statue. “I have seen it. Perhaps it was just physical confirmation I needed. But you need not worry. In due time we will make our move. But right now, we must prepare for the ceremony. Things will fall into place after that.” 

Dia often wondered if she was doing the right thing or wrong thing. Sometimes she just could hardly tell in the world she lived in. It was over 13 years ago that the Plegian-Ylisse war took place. Then they Ylisseans came to her country of Valm. Though she was already 20, things got rather dark. Her entire family had been killed. While it had not been Ylissean hands directly wielding the blade, that country was at fault. The holy Exalt Chrom and his grandmaster tactician Robin; those two paraded around this face of innocence but they were really just wolfs in sheep’s clothing. Right underneath that thin skin you could see their true faces. The true faces of monsters. 

So in that aspect, Dia felt safe and assured in the path that she was walking. Yet she knew that there were glaring flaws in that reasoning. Her master had tutored her in every subject, and that included logic. She knew that even though she was getting revenge on Robin and Chrom by doing what she was doing; there were far larger consequences that would take away from the reward. “I see. Thank you my lord. What is our next move?”

Her master started to turn around, causing her to immediately kneel. Though it was not necessary in their relationship, she did not wish to insult him by being “defiant”. “Stand.” She did, but kept her head down. It did not sound like he was wearing his mask that day. Often times his face would be covered in a blackish colored material, a long beak shape would be sprouting from the middle that was sharpened to an extreme point. Today however, after she quickly glanced up, she saw he was bare faced. 

There was something about her master that she quite enjoyed looking at. A part of her knew that was partially the reason why she took a shining to him. He was quite handsome. His skin was deeply tan, an oddity in Valm along with his deep, almost red eyes. Though his snow white hair was not. He kept it pulled back in a low pony tail beneath the red cloak he wore. “We shall head to the Duma tower.” So they really were doing this. Of course we are, Dia shouted to herself as she followed her lord towards the steps. It was just shocking perhaps. She had been to Duma tower once or twice in the past, but it was simply to look. This time…this time they had a purpose, a mission. 

And she would do anything for her lord.

~’~

They had spent more time out in Chrom’s garden then they first realized. Once Tharja headed back to…where ever she went, they continued their conversation. This time, it was about her. Both Robin and Chrom were curious about her personal life.

“I doubt I would be all that interesting, considering the lives you two have lived.” They had spoken briefly on the war. And she was really just referring to the fact that Chrom was the Exalt of a nation. He was the ruler of a country! Yet they simply sat there, waiting for her to continue. So with a sigh, she did just that. “Well I don’t really have any family. They died in a car crash when I was young.” Whenever she came upon a word that they probably did not recognize, she clarified it for the white haired male. “A car is similar to a carriage, yet made of metal. It runs on fuel; liquid you get from the Earth.” While it was a simple explanation for how cars move, it was good enough for the time being. It wasn’t like she was going to be able to make a car; or someone would invent one while she was here in this world. They allowed her to continue to speak. “So I grew up in a foster home. Nothing eventful happened. I had a good life growing up. I started boxing when I was rather young because of a lot of emotional issues that I was going through from my families’ death.”

While Robin was nodding sympathetically, Chrom looked confused about something. “What do you mean boxing?” Oh. They didn’t know what that was? She guessed not considering how confused he sounded.

“Well boxing is like…its fighting. You use hand to hand combat to fight against someone.”

“Voluntarily?” The concept was just blowing Chrom’s mind. 

“Yes. But you aren’t fighting to kill. You pin your opponent down. That is the objective.” Chrom was stunned by the explanation. “Well don’t you have sparring?”

“Yes.”

“It is like that, but I do it for a living. As I was saying, I box for a living, but I don’t really have family; not any more that is.” Really it was just quite confusing for her. Why did they want to know more about her? Hopefully she wouldn’t be here long. Not that she disliked them. Everyone that she had met so far were as kind as could be, but this was not her home. This was not her world. She would rather be back sooner than later.

“My lord.” She had been about to speak again, but a deep voice interrupted her. Not again, she thought to herself; expecting another strange situation like with Tharja. When she glanced over, she was surprised as to what she saw though. There was an older man; probably in his early fifties. He still looked rather young though. Dressed in heavy armor though they were within the castle walls, he walked behind two other people.

And those two people, she could tell who they were without even knowing their names. The smaller girl, her hair white as snow, ran over to Robin; which she was unsurprised about. The other quickly made her way to Chrom. They had to be their daughters. Those two girls looked like spitting images of their fathers. That meant Chrom and Robin were married and she suddenly felt rather bad about being alone with them for the entire day. Not that they had done anything wrong; it was just that they were both very handsome, older, and quite kind. 

Yet when she looked down to their hands, she saw the one thing that was missing.

A ring. 

Neither of them wore a ring on their finger. While she wanted to ask them about it, that was not conversation you had around kids. Plus that was always a sore subject, a spouse being out of the picture. So she just sat and watched the families’ interact. They seemed so warm with each other; whether that mean Chrom and Robin or their two daughters. It actually hurt a bit, seeing how loving they were with each other. No. No she could not think about that. These girls were growing up with people that loved them dearly. She should be happy for them.

“We were playing with Cynthia and Owain today! Nah was also there! It was so much fun!” Robin’s little girl said as she scurried up into his lap. The young girl clung to her father like a little koala bear. It was almost sickeningly sweet. 

Chrom’s daughter was quiet as she stood beside him. She looked to be a couple of years older than the other one and just stood at Chrom’s side. Her eyes had been focused on the other girl before she spotted the “new comer”. That caused her sharp eyes to narrow in suspicion. When she leaned over some, tugging on Chrom’s sleeve, she knew she was being talked about.

“Lucina you must not worry.” Robin’s daughter looked up and seemed to spot her as well, though she did not look nearly as offended by her presence. The Exalt introduced her to the two daughters. “This is Lucina.”

“And I am Morgan!” The white haired girl squealed she jumped off of her father’s lap. She rushed over. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! Dad talked about you a lot when you were asleep.” 

“Morgan! You weren’t supposed to say that!” Lucina chimed in. While the two younger girls were bickering with one another, she glanced up at Robin who was flushed, but not much. He wasn’t able to say anything though. The older man, the brunette knight, was standing in the opening between Chrom and Robin’s chair. Both Morgan and Lucina ran off into the garden to go and play in the waning late afternoon shade.

“My lord.” The man only spoke to Chrom; though he was not facing the blue haired Exalt. No, he was staring at her with the fiercest looking glare she had ever been on the receiving end of. 

“Peace Frederick. I guess you can finally meet her.” Frederick. So she introduced herself to the older man. She only god a low grunt in response. Well obviously he disliked her…for some reason. Chrom was quick to clear it up though, presumably having to do so for years. “Frederick has been something like my retainer for years. Perhaps you can call him my guardian. He has looked after Lissa and I since we were children.” Oh wow. They have known each other for years.

“That is incredible.” She said, not being able to hold back her shock. Frederick seemed to puff out his chest in pride at the compliment, while Chrom simply chuckled.

“He has been quite the guard dog. Would have died long ago if were not for him.”

“Please my lord. You are well capable of keeping yourself safe. I simply keep a watch on your back.” 

“And I couldn’t thank you more for it.” Chrom seemed honest when he said that. Which she liked. The way that they have all interacted with each other was quite warm. It showed that they were a family; no matter if they were not all related by blood. The love was there.

“Alas sir I did not come out here for compliments, though it is quite enjoyable. Dinner is ready.” She did not know what that was going to actually entail. What she first expected was that Chrom, Robin, and his daughters ate alone. It seemed that way. 

They all stood, Chrom shouting for the girls to follow him. So the six of them made their way inside and back through the many hallways of the castle. All the while, Morgan walked closely beside her. “So how do you like it here so far? I heard about how you got here. I hope you are alright. I know that must have hurt, but Lissa is quite the amazing healer isn’t she! If it gets any worse, you should get Libra to look at it. He could pray to Naga for you as well.” The young girl chatted away. What really got her in that moment, as they continued down the hallways and unbeknownst to her past the “royal dining room”, was when Morgan reached up and grabbed a hold of her hand. Since she was so young, the white haired girl could only grab about three fingers in her little hand. It was…different.

“It is pretty nice here. Though I haven’t been awake for long.” Robin glanced over his shoulder at the two woman and smiled. 

“Ah here we are.” Chrom interjected before anyone else could speak. She had not even noticed, but they had walked all the way across the castle grounds to what seemed like barracks that were attached to a horse stable. It was far less clean than the main part of the castle; so she was justifiably confused. What was the Exalt doing over here? And for dinner no less? Both way they all walked in and the fact that she wasn’t wearing shoes hit her hard. Just as she compared it to, there was packed hay beneath her feet. 

“We can get you some shoes tomorrow if that is alright.” Morgan said as she ran over to an empty table. Well it wasn’t empty; there were a handful of children already seated on either side of it, chowing down on dinner. She stood there, staring at them and was only pulled away when Robin pressed a gentle hand on her back. 

“Here. Come with me.” He guided her over to a table of their own. Lissa and Maribelle were already sitting there. Both blonde’s excitedly greeted her. Another woman sat on the other side of Lissa, sandwiching Chrom’s younger sister. Her hair was like an ashy brown; though she was absolutely stunning. Like the two other woman, she was wearing a dress; though hers was a light pink tone. She had a few feathers and crystal pink beads braided into her brown hair. 

“Oh. You must be the visitor.” The woman said with a quiet voice. She bowed some, saying her name. Sumia. Well that sure matched her loos; pretty yet soft. Robin allowed her to introduce herself before helping her sit down. 

“Robin I am fine. You should have allowed me to go and get my own food.” She said, eyeing the plates the three woman had in front of them. It sure looked good; like some sort of meat, veggies, and bread. She could not place what it all was though. But Robin simply shook his head. 

“Lissa may have cleared you for the most part, but let me be safe for the time being and help you. At least until we get you to bed tonight.” And with that, Robin walked off in the direction that Chrom and Frederick did. She watched him go.

“He is such a worrywart.”

It was Lissa that spoke up. “You mean Robin?” She asked the blonde. They would know Robin better than she would. It was confirmed when she nodded.

“He didn’t used to be like this. Not that he is super stiff and uptight, but he used to be far more relaxed in the past; right around when we all first met him.” Ah, when they found him sleeping in a field she means. While they had been sitting out there in the garden, she asked the two of them how they met. That had been quite the story. “It is like he and Chrom switched bits and pieces of their personalities.”

“Oh?”

“Chrom was vastly different years ago.” It was Sumia this time that spoke up. There was a light flush, obvious intentions behind it that covered her pretty face. “He used to be goofier.” The blush on her cheeks got deeper. “He is far more suave now.” Maribelle whispered something to Lissa which caused the two woman to laugh before the Exalt’s sister wrapped her arms around Sumia. Before long, Chrom and Robin came back. They sat down, her between the two as to not block her off from anyone. It seemed as though while she was here, she was going to meet and interact with everyone. Not that she minded; but…maybe she did. She would have to think through some of that some more though. Either way, dinner went by smoothly. Sumia’s crush on the Exalt was glaringly obvious to everyone but his highness himself. Even she could see it and she just met the woman. 

“Alright. I’ll take the plates.” Chrom said as everyone finished. He gathered them up in his arms and walked off. Right as he got out of ear shot, she turned to Robin. The white haired male glanced back at her.

“He is quite familiar for someone of royalty. You too Lissa.” It was true. They did not seem like royalty. He sure did not seem like the Exalt of a nation. Chrom was just too kind. He was too raw and real. Robin nodded in agreement. 

“Chrom has never been big on the titles and the glamor that come from being Exalt. Like we said, he was never “meant” to be the Exalt. He was the commander of the Shepherds.”

“Shepherds?”

“Yeah! They are the people you are eating with right now.” Oh. Well that explained…some. Guessing from how the people looked around the room, she guessed Shepherds were not in fact herding sheep. They were more like a royal guard. Some men had swords, others had axes; it all reminded her so much of renaissance festivals. But these were definitely real; and most likely definitely used often. Speaking of, she would have to ask Chrom about the sword she kept spotting at his waist. While he was not wearing armor like Frederick, in just a simple tunic, pants, and boots, he still carried around that giant thing. It looked ornate and personal.

“Oh and who might this be?” A man, tan white bright blonde hair, slammed his hands on the table beside her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he appeared out of nowhere. Well, kind of appeared out of nowhere. She had seen him across the room, but thought nothing of it. Lissa stuck her tongue out at him.

“Stop it Vaike! She doesn’t want to meet you.” Vaike?

“Lissa is right.” Chrom had reappeared. Vaike stood up and scratched the back of his neck with a big smile on his face. It looked genuine, only showing how much everyone seemed to enjoy having Chrom around them. He had to be a great Exalt.

“You know I can’t resist speaking with a beautiful woman kid.” Kid. He must be a bit older than Chrom. He did look older. Well, he looked different. He looked like Frederick’s age without the youthful slight that the knight had. This man just looked worn down really. Either way, Chrom smirked and shook his head, slapping a hand onto the large man’s shoulder.

“I know, but how about you speak with her another time.” Robin stood at that, and she suspected it was the signal for them to leave. So she followed suit. “Goodnight everyone!” There were a roaring cheer of goodnights while the three of them walked out.

“Thank you.” She said right away as they walked down the hallways, back to Robin’s wing. This time she made sure to pay attention to each and every turn. Learning the layout of the castle, bit by bit, would be beneficial for her. 

The men turned towards her since she was walking between the two of them. It was just so surreal. “For what?” Chrom asked.

“For being so kind to me. For understanding and trusting me. I know it would be more than within your right to be suspicious of me, but you gave me the benefit of the doubt and allowed me to speak my story; about how I really have no idea what is going on.” It seemed as though the trip back was taking far less longer than the trip there for they were already climbing the steps to Robin, and presumably Morgan’s wing. 

“Of course. If someone is in need, we have to help them.” Chrom’s sincere kindness really was like a breath of fresh air. They finally got to her “temporary” room and she stopped in front of the door. It was partially open, but they had left it that way when they first walked out. During dinner the sun had set completely and the palace workers had lit torches that hung down the hallways. Plus the light of the full moon lit everything as well. 

“I will see you two in the morning?”

“Ah, we have a meeting. But simply enjoy yourself for now. Robin’s office is the third door on the right so he will be back before long in the morning.” Oh. Why did she feel a bit bad about them having to go and speak with people? It wasn’t like she had a monopoly on them. He was the Exalt for god’s sake! Of course he and Robin wouldn’t have time to sit around and entertain her. But she was not going to say another word on that. So instead she nodded and slipped into her room, telling them goodnight one last time.

And she was alone.

With the door closed though, she was able to break down. She leaned against the heavy door and slid down until her butt was on the floor. Tears slipped down her cheeks. It was all just so much. Everything was just hitting her at the same time; and perhaps she was accepting it. She was accepting the fact that it was all real. It had to be real. Dreams were not like this. They were not so coherent and detailed. Chrom and Robin’s world was vibrant and so full. 

Perhaps the biggest thing that was making her break was Chrom and Robin themselves. Not that they were rude or anything; the complete opposite of that in fact. They were kind to a fault. And they were so accepting of her. Of course it was partially because of what happened to Robin, or at least what she heard happened to him; not that they gave her every detail. But they accepted her and were willing to help her none the less. People in her timeline did not have such beautiful hearts and it was just shattering her.

“They do that to everyone you know.” 

She was somehow able to keep down a scream when Tharja appeared before her on her knees. The dark haired woman was dressed as she had been, but looked far less wound than she had been. But that did not matter. “What are you doing in here?” It wasn’t as though she could have gotten through the door; she had her back against it. That only left the window and this room was on the third floor of the castle. So she brushed away her tears in an attempt to hide that she had been crying. Tharja did not care though.

“I used magic.” 

“Of course.” Tharja grabbed her hands and pulled her up. The woman guided the two of them over to the bed where she got them settled down on. Once they were done moving, the two of them were sitting cross legged in front of one another. “So what are you doing here though? Please don’t tell me you heard me crying from somewhere.” If Tharja heard her crying, that meant anyone in the vicinity could. 

“No. I was meaning to come to your room. It just so happens that you were crying.” 

“Oh.”

Silence followed. The woman was just staring at her; looking straight into her soul. Really it was getting kind of awkward. “So you wanted to tutor me in magic?” It had been a quick conversation between Robin, Chrom, and Tharja; plus she did not really understand most of it. She was going to need some sort of crash course on all of the ins and outs of this. 

Tharja nodded. “I want to tutor you. Robin works closely with Chrom on many political things so he would not have time to. There are a few other mages that we know well that come and go in the castle, but I am the most constant one.” And she had to wonder why. “But as Chrom explained, I am guessing you do not know much.” She just shook her head. Might as well be honest. Tharja sighed and slipped her eyes shut and crossed her arms over her rather ample chest. 

“Well you do know of the four elements? I must believe that those are the same no matter the world or timeline.” 

“Of course. Earth, fire, water, and air.” While that was the rudimentary elements, that was what Tharja was wondering about. That would be something she could speak to Robin about, the periodic table of elements that is. The man soaked up knowledge like a sponge. 

“Well,” Tharja waved her hand out in front of her face. It was an enchanting movement; like a venomous snake or a frightening hawk. To her utter surprise, a flame bloomed from her gloved palm. “mages are allowed to channel those elements.”

Now it really was like a television show. After some of the amazement wore off, she realized that those movements were not just random hand waves. It was Chaquan marital arts. That’s why it had been so graceful in the movement. That style was known for light footwork and agile fighters. How odd. “Each element can be channeled through different means. More often than not, mages use their emotions to channel those elements that align best with their energies. I happen to align best with the element of fire. It also has to do with other variables; where you were born and when you were born can play a part. I was born in the desert so I am acclimated to hot weather.” As intense as Tharja was, she was a very good teacher. The way she explained it allowed for her to understand rather well. Of course having completed college probably had a lot to do with it, but still. To be honest, Tharja…

“You remind me of a girlfriend I had.” Those words actually threw the dark haired mage off. The fire that was warm in her hand extinguished itself and she sat there with wide eyes. 

“Excuse me?”

“Like, girlfriend. You know, going on dates; holding hands?” Tharja, for the first time since she met her, blushed; like hard. “I apologize if I offended you.” Had to save face. She had no idea of this society was against same sex couplings. That would be rather brash of her to come out and say something like that if it was the case. Yet the way Chrom and Robin interacted had her second guessing herself. Even the way Maribelle and Lissa held onto each other. But Tharja just shook her head. What could be considered a smile grew on her face.

“I see. Well to continue where we left off,” Thank god this isn’t awkward, she thought to herself as Tharja continued to speak. She actually liked the mage; at least from what she had seen so far. Tharja seemed to be one of those people that you just needed to get a little closer to and then they would warm up. “While I align with fire, some of the other people I know align with other elements. There is a mage named Ricken and he aligns with air. Miriel aligns with fire and water. Henry aligns with fire. Robin has an affinity for lightening, which is an offshoot of fire. It is just far more concentrated and powerful. He tends to use air as well. Robin often goes for the non-lethal route when facing enemies.” Well he could do that with lightening and air. Lightening would lock their muscles and air would push them down. Both were good things to use in her eyes. 

“And what about me?”

“While many mages can use two or three elements, none can use all four. Or at least, none have been able to use the element of earth in years. And when I say years, I mean hundreds, if not thousands.”

“Oh.” That was…different. “But how can you tell?”

“Powerful mages such as myself can see the flow of energy within others. You have air, water, and fire running through you; but earth mages have something else. There is a grounded aura to them. You have a sturdy body and energy. Those that can use the element of earth have a smell about them as well.” 

She wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be a joke or not, but played along anyways. “That is why I wish to train you. While I cannot help you in the ways of the earth, I can aide you with the others.”

Well…It wasn’t as though she would have anything else to do while she was stuck in this world, in this timeline. Plus, if mages were like any other pop culture wizard or magician, she would have a way to keep herself safe aside from just hand to hand combat. So she nodded. “Sure Tharja.” 

With that the woman jumped up and off the bed. She walked towards the door since she could get through it this time. “Meet me at the main courtyard in the morning.” She could not respond as Tharja slipped out of the door and into the night air. Well thankfully her shoes were in the room with her. She would have them if she needed them.

~’~

The meditation that she and Tharja did that morning lasted for a while; at least until the sun was right above them. Tharja had explained they would start with simple meditation to get her more aware of the energy within her body. They had sat down beneath the shade of a tree in the courtyard. Well, the courtyard was actually a training field. It just so happened to be called that since Chrom always was there. Even though he was the Exalt, he trained just as hard as the rest of his army. She found that incredibly noble for him to continue to fight. 

But that also meant their peaceful meditation session would not last the whole day. Sooner or later, people made their way out into the yard to train. Their eyes cracked open and peaked over at the people that had shown up. It was that Vaike man from the night before. He had two more people with him. One was a tall brunette male, and the other was a short haired red head who looked like she could beat ass. “I believe that will be all for the day.” The two of them stood. Both of them were actually barefoot. Tharja had slipped her shoes off before getting onto the grass so she put her tennis shoes down on the stone as well. Tharja said it was better to have a direct connection to the earth below them. Plus, if she was to get a better connection to said rare element, she needed to be near it as much as possible. “Though I think I can use this to our advantage.” They walked over. None of the three people were wearing heavy armor. It seemed as though Frederick had been the odd one out for they were in simple tunics, pants, and boots like Chrom had been. “You. Stahl.” Tharja pointed towards the brunette. “Sully and Vaike.” The red head’s name was Sully. “She needs a sparring partner.” 

“Wait what?”

“Since they were interrupting our meditation, you might as well work on your hand to hand combat. Mages use the movements of our body to channel the elements.” Tharja exampled that by throwing a familiar punch out to the right. A burst of flames flew out into the sky, causing the three others to stumble back. She was just amazed by that. It really was that style of martial arts, Chaquan that is. 

“I’ll help you out!” Sully said. The red head was a little shorter than her, though taller than Tharja by quite a bit. Actually she seemed to be the tallest one there; aside from Stahl who stood about an inch or two taller. 

Well weirder things have happened and this is my home court, she thought to herself as she got into a fighting position. The others stepped back and watched as Sully shot forwards. What surprised her the most was Sully’s speed. Not that the woman was large by any stretch of the imagination, she just did not seem like one to use movement to her advantage. But her fighting style was sloppy. It didn’t take long for her to have the red head on her back and on the ground. Vaike cheered wildly while Stahl was slightly surprised. “Who’s next?” Now she was in her zone. This was the one thing that was familiar and felt good to her. Stahl volunteered. So while Vaike was helping Sully off the ground, Tharja made her way over for a moment. 

“Remember. While you are fighting, focus on that energy. Feel the earth beneath you. Feel the air around you; the moisture and the dryness levels. I do not expect you to be able to use it yet, but I just want you thinking about it.”

And that’s what she did. Each throw of a punch, each kick of a leg, she could feel the elements around her. To her surprise it actually came rather easily to her. And if she were being honest, she almost felt faster as she went. It was like the air around her was helping her breath, helping her muscles move with more efficiency. So Stahl was a similar ending as Sully. Even Vaike who excitedly volunteered himself to go next did not last long. Though his punches hurt quite a bit more. He obviously fought more hand to hand than the two others did. She would find out later that they only fought on horseback.

“Damn woman you are incredible!” Vaike shouted as she had him on his ass just like the other two. She wasn’t stunned about that though. After taking what Tharja said to heart, her movements were far faster and smoother than they had ever been. She would have to continue like this.

“Now I am quite interested as to what is going on here.”

Chrom. He and Robin walked out through the door. Today, Robin had forgone the large cloak he seemed to be quite fond of. Chrom was in light clothing which she thought looked quite dashing on him. Robin was dressed in purple and black; it reminded her of Tharja. “Chrom. Fight her.” Said mage demanded. The woman had a weird power over everyone for Chrom nodded and walked out onto the lawn. Robin followed him but stopped beside Tharja. He grabbed some of the things Chrom took off and stood beside the large sword that Chrom laid down. 

“I will avoid aiming for your ribs. But I do think this is quite the good idea. I am glad Tharja thought of it. It is always good to train to keep yourself safe.” Chrom said as he rolled up the sleeves to his shirt. He took his boots off then walked over to where she was. Now for the first time that day she actually felt the anxiety of a fight. Chrom was bigger than the other three had been. Not only that, but she could tell when someone was strong. His muscles bulged from beneath his shirt and pants. He was a perfect warrior. She would definitely have to step up her game.

Right as he threw the first punch, she realized she had to step up her game even more. Without even fighting him that much, he had already become the strongest opponent she had ever faced. He was like a juggernaut. His punches were fast but hard; same as with his kicks. Perhaps the only downside he had was his speed. He was slower than her so she would have to take that advantage. She channeled that air alignment more, of course knowing that she would not be able to use it; but just wanting it to aide her. And for the most part it did. She was able to land quite a few good shots on him; throwing spinning jump kicks in here and there. He had a bigger weakness against those from what she could tell. 

Something she had not noticed was they had drawn quite a crowd. Some of the shepherds she had not met had shown up, and some of the castle guards had paused on their route.

They were both rather out of breath. She realized this was the point where she would rely heavily on the elements. This was Chrom’s first fight so he was still able to go. It showed when he landed a hard punch to the side of her face, sending her reeling; though not fully falling down. He hunched over some trying to catch his breath.

Don’t let your guard down Exalt, she thought to herself as she spun around as fast as she could; using the air a bit. The back of her hand made contact with the side of his face and he did fall backwards, more out of shock than anything else. 

“Parley! Parley.” Chrom laughed as he rubbed the side of his face. “I must agree with Vaike, you are incredible.”

“I was only able to land that blow because you let your guard down. If not, that last punch would have been the end of the match.” Just as she had suspected though, he had been holding back some. While it wasn’t by much, she could feel the push and pull of peoples punches. His had been too weak for someone of his size.

“Alright you two, that’s enough punching each other for one day.” Robin said. “Let us get you inside, maybe get some lunch.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I pretty much have everything I want to write planned out. It will be slow burn, which is different for me. I am not one to read slow burn so I am not one to write it, but I am going to try my damndest. And if you are wondering, they are in late spring in the timeline of this right now.

_Dear His Holiness the Exalt,_

_I believe that you may not know who I am, but that is alright. It is just of recently that I have taken the thrown; just since my Mother’s untimely passing. My name is Jed Avraham. I am the King of Valm, as I said newly anointed. This nation has had a rough past ever since its inception from Zofia and Rigel. The history books do not lie; nor does recent events. I will not say I am ashamed of what my people have done, but I will say that I am working to make things right. Whether that means going out and meeting with the people of this land, or working with those that rule over the nations around me._

_My people are not ignorant. They know of what happened those years ago when Walhart took over. They know of the pain he caused to everyone around Valm. Because of that, I am offering a hand of friendship to every nation, yours in particular. I read of your efforts to put an end to his cruel rule and could not thank you enough for it. I must extend that thanks to your ally and close friend Robin._

_With a close friendship between our nations, I believe that we can truly hold this peaceful time of ours for many years to come. This olive branch can become a tree; to grow and to thrive in this welcoming environment you have created my Lord. I can have my people doing as they wish once again. I can allow them to worship Duma or Mila I turn. That was one of the problems with Walhart. He desired to destroy something that people wish look to for guidance. Even her holiness Tiki knows that Mila and Duma are to be revered, just as much as your lady Naga._

_The purpose of this letter is for many different reasons. But the main one is an invitation. I wish to extend it to you. It is going to be a grand party, a ceremony of sorts. I will be inviting those across the lands to come to Valm, to come to the castle to stay during this. It will be held in honor of holding peace amongst the nations. This even will be held at the end of the year on the last month. I implore you to bring along as many people as you wish. I know that may be an odd request for many heads of state, but family and friends is the most important thing in the world. I am anxious to meet with you Exalt Chrom._

The handwriting was neat; far neater than Chrom’s even after all these years. The Exalt set the piece of paper down and leaned back in his chair in his office. “We received it this morning my lord.” Frederick explained. The old knight often collected Chrom’s letters he received and walked them up to the Exalt’s office. It was a good thing that he had Frederick for that or he would never remember to check his mail.

“I see.” Chrom responded in a quiet voice. Jed Avraham. How interesting. He knew that there had been some problems rising with his western neighbors, but perhaps a switch in leader would change that. The last time that Chrom went to Valm, actually just recently, nothing seemed a miss with the queen. While she was getting up there in age, she was a mage and they were typically known to live for a long time. That, or die when they were incredibly young. Either way, she seemed fine. So while he found it odd that she had passed after him leaving, he could not comment too far on it. 

“What do you wish to do?” Frederick asked him, breaking him out of his thoughts. Chrom paused and rubbed his chin. He was going to need to shave soon. He was feeling some scruff on his chin. 

“I believe we should attend the ceremony. It will be good to get back on better footing with the nation of Valm. Even after all these years I have had trouble getting on their good side. This Jed seems as though he wishes for the betterment of the world. I can only agree. We can deal with a guest list later on since this event doesn’t occur until the end of the year.” Frederick nodded before turning towards the door to exit Chrom’s office. The Exalt still had papers to sign and Fredrick knew from experience that Chrom would not do anything if he was still there. With the slightly cloudy weather and strangely cool breeze for a late Ylissean spring day, it only exasperated Chrom’s laziness. 

So Frederick opened the office door, only to stop in his tracks. There she stood, her hand reaching up as though she were about to knock on the door. To be honest, Frederick was still cautious around her. A stranger, Fredrick hated new people. He was like an old guard dog that would not let anyone around his master. The anxiety was well placed considering what happened to Chrom’s older sister and his father. But in the end, he allowed Chrom to do as he wished, especially as the Exalt got older. Now 33 years old, Chrom was a grown man; not needing of such fretting. Plus, Frederick could not ignore the outcome of Robin’s entrance into his lord’s life. Chrom became a new man after meeting the Plegian. And their world was saved in the process. So while he was hesitant to allow this strange woman from a different world around Chrom, he had to bend to Chrom’s will. 

“Oh hello!” Chrom stood. Great. Now he really was going to be distracted. And Frederick could not say anything when Chrom gave him a look. The knight slipped out as she walked in and looked around.

“Wow! So is this your office?” She asked. Chrom sat down upon realizing how young and fool headed he was acting. He really did get excited around new people. But could you blame him? He liked making friends. With a smile, he nodded. 

“Yes. This has been the Exalt’s office for many generations.” It was obvious that she felt a touch out of place. But Chrom told her to make herself comfortable on one of the empty couches; he watched as she hesitantly did so. 

He liked her honesty. She wore her heart on her sleeve and he did not fault her for that. Ever since becoming the Exalt, very few would react in such a way around him. Power was a heady thing and many wished for it. While those in the Shepherds never treated him differently, the nobles all did. Having her react in such a way was quite refreshing. 

She fidgeted some before rubbing her hands on her pants. Then she looked over at him, catching him staring at her, though did nothing to reprimand him. “I did not mean to intrude. I was looking for Robin because Morgan needed him, but he seemed to be absent everywhere I looked.” That kind blew the wind out of his sails. So she wasn’t even meaning to come to his office. “But I am glad I found you.” Never mind. “Robin is always so interested and talkative and I enjoy that, but to be honest I just wanted to speak with you. But of course if I am not supposed to I can leave. We don’t have royalty where I am from. We have politicians and a president but not royalty. Of course there is royalty in the world but those are old families and mostly controlled by politicians. What I am trying to say is that I don’t know how to react around people of royal birth.” She messed up some of her words and Chrom was slightly stunned. Ever since she came here about a week ago, she was eloquent and level headed. Seeing her like this was a complete change.

But once again he enjoyed the honesty of it. She was honestly nervous. While he did not think she needed to be, he did not fault her for it. “It is alright. And you are more than welcome to speak with me at any time. I enjoy the company. Frederick is recognizable and comfortable to be around, be he can be quite monotonous at points.” His words seemed to have loosened up her tenseness. Her shoulders dropped a little while that smile slowly formed. 

“What did I interrupt anyways? Frederick seemed slightly miffed about something when he was leaving. Though his face always does kind of look like that.” Chrom nodded at her words before motioning for her to come over. Once she did, he handed her the letter he received. If he were anyone else, someone far lest trusting, he would never show her the letter. But considering she did not have any particular power and had only left the castle with Lissa once since getting there, he found it alright. Chrom watched as her eyes flittered across the page. It did not take her long for her to read the entire thing.

That was right though. She was literate. He had found that out when Robin asked her about it. She said she had been educated at a university. While the basis of said institution was relatively the same, hers was slightly different. She said that if you had enough money, you could pretty much get in to study. “This Jed Avraham fellow seems rather kind.” That was another thing that Chrom had been thinking about. Since she said she had study at a university, he was thinking about having her help with somethings. She explained she had classes in politics and government as well as history. It was worth a shot.

“I know. The previous ruler, Emperor Walhart, was ruthless. I led the charge against him, took him down as well in the end.” His words had her eyes widening. 

“You mean you fought in the war?” She paused after he nodded. Looking down at the letter allowed some of her hair to cover her face. “And you killed him?” Now it was Chrom’s turn to look a little shocked and confused. But of course he killed him. He wasn’t stupid. Chrom had seen some of the glances she made at Falchion. They were ones of curiosity. But there was fear in there as well. She was fearful of the weapons that everyone carried around. It did cause him interest as to what people did in her realm. How could they protect themselves if they did not carry their weapon with them? It was something he would have to ask her. Either way, he nodded.

“Yes. I killed him. But it was for the good of the world. If I had to do it again I would.” Well that wasn’t exactly true. Chrom was sure that he would put more of an effort into diplomatic speech before picking up a sword. He took that to heart after the war with Walhart and Emmeryn’s death. Now he was far less quick to fight; especially since so many of his loved ones, as well as himself, had children of their own. 

The look on Chrom’s face seemed to have gotten his message across because she nodded before putting the letter back down onto the table. He watched as she poked the piece of paper with her finger. “He seems rather genuine if what you have told me about Walhart is true.” He had spoken a bit about it before this moment. 

Chrom’s eyes slipped down from her face towards the rest of her body for a brief moment. Lissa had gotten her new clothing. Brown pants with similar color brown boots; she looked as though she could have been born in Ylisse. It looked good with the white tunic she also wore. “Why do you say that?” While he did in fact want to trust Jed, the new king of Valm, Chrom was hesitant. He hated to admit it was because the man was Valmese and the recent past between the two countries was rather sordid. 

“Well he is admitting that his people have done wrong in the past.” Chrom read that sentence on the paper again. Jed was saying just that, though he was not apologizing for it. “And he is extending the invitation to those in your social group. From what he is saying it does not seem as though he means any other nobles. He is talking about your friends and family. Where I am from, in my realm, when politicians extend invitations to other’s families that usually is a show of good faith. Of course you must take that with a grain of salt. I do not know how your world works mind you.” 

Chrom was rather impressed. He had thought about that; for a brief moment thought about bringing Lucina along. But that thought quickly left him. It was still far too dangerous for her. And he was not about to put Lucina through hell once again. He would never do that. Instead, he picked up the piece of paper and reread it and reread it. All the while she stood there in front of him and stared. It wasn’t uncomfortable. Really the way she looked at him was like the way she acted around him. It was honest. There was nothing malicious and wanting. It was just…just her. “Thank you for your input.” And he meant it. “Perhaps you will accompany me when we head to Valm. You could show me where you “live”.” He said live in air quotes since of course it wouldn’t be where she actually lives. It was just the same area. His suggestion caused her face to bloom in to a red color.

“Jesus Chrom, I couldn’t possibly do that.” The ‘And I should be gone by the end of the year’ went left unsaid. It was doubtful. If he was being honest it was doubtful that they would find a way to send her back by that time. It was just too complicated a task. He just wanted her to be happy while she lived in Ylisse. Something caught his attention from what she said. It was probably a good idea to change the subject anyway. He did not want to upset her any further.

“There it is again.”

Now she turned to go and sit down again. Once she was seated, Chrom got up and placed himself in the smaller couch beside hers. “Jesus.” Him saying that word caused her to snort in laughter which only caused him further confusion. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” She said, waving a hand in front of her face. “It would just be rather complicated to explain who Jesus Christ is.”

“I have the time.” Chrom was super interested now. Who could it be? A person of power? A friend? She said this person’s name like it was a saying, a colloquial phrase that many shared. He watched as she sighed and sat back a little.

“Do you have a religion here in your country?” Well. That was odd. 

“Yes. Well, kind of. We have a goddess we worship. Naga.” 

“And how widely spread is the worship of this goddess?” 

“Well, only to Ylisse and Ferox, the nation to the North of us.” She had seen the map so she knows of the nations that border Ylisse. Of course she wouldn’t know of Grima and everything else, so that is why he explained where Ferox’s loyalties lie when it comes to religion. 

“And what of the other countries?”

“If we are being honest, Valm, as a continent, hasn’t worshiped any gods in a long time. Thousands of years if I am remembering correctly. That is why I was actually rather surprised upon reading Jed’s letter; him talking of Mila and Duma. Those were the two deities that the continent of Valm used to worship before Emperor Alm and Queen Anthiese sealed them away thousands of years ago.”

“Wow.” The shock was genuine. “To not have a religion for so long. Well I am guessing that there are “fanatics” for your religions? Those that truly worship not matter what and can turn radical to a point?” Chrom took in her words and nodded. “Well think about Jesus Christ as Naga but on a global scale and to have followers that intense about it.” Chrom was stunned. 

“Are there any other religions like that of Jesus Christ? Or is that the only one?”

He was sure she did not expect to give the Exalt of a nation a theology lesson, but he was asking so she would give. He listened to her, completely riveted by every word. “Well yes. Most sociologist and theologist call them the religions of the “book”. There are some main ones; Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. But those are not the only ones by a long shot. If we are being honest, there are thousands of religions. That is why I am so stunned. You said most people of this world don’t worship?” 

“Yeah.” For the most part, religion had been almost eradicated. Well, apparently except in Valm; as of recently that is. Chrom was going to ask her more questions, but there was a knock at the door. Both turned and he watched as she stood and opened it. There stood Robin. His white hair looked even softer than usual. And his face broke into a large smile upon seeing the two of them.

“Ah I have been looking for you for quite some time.”

“Well I was looking for you this morning as well! Morgan wanted you.” Chrom watched them. 

“I already helped her. I apologize that you had to go on a man hunt for me.” Robin said with a quite smile. He scratched his cheek with a finger before looking back towards her. “Tharja wants you. We are going to train some more.” Of course Robin would help her. He is a mage after all; and one of the best in the world. So with a quick goodbye on his part, he watched the two of them go. 

“Now I actually have to do paperwork.” Chrom’s groan was only heard by him in the silence.

~’~

Robin led her down the steps and out into that same outdoors area Tharja kept using as a practice location. Every day since she got there and Tharja took her under her wing, they would practice for hours. Tharja actually told her the progress she was making was much quicker than she first expected; like shockingly so. 

“We are going to do some meditation first.” Tharja explained as Robin guided her out into the open area. The clouds were hanging so low overhead that it was like they were on top of the three mages. It felt like she was back in Houston with how strong the humidity was. When she went to sit down, she was surprised to find that Robin was taking off his cloak and sitting down to her left. With Tharja to her right, they made a little triangle.

“What?”

“Oh. I apologize, but I will be joining you two today. Tharja wishes for me to help since you are going to be focusing on the element of fire. Lightening is a branch of fire so it is only natural.” Robin explained as he got comfortable. His eyes slipped shut and his hands rested in his lap. Not that she did not want him there. He was more than welcome and she was very comfortable with his presence. But she was just surprised, that was all. When she looked over to her teacher, the other woman already had her eyes closed as well. There was no point in arguing. So she simply started to meditate alongside of them. 

Unlike most days, everyone stayed away from the courtyard where they were. While she could hear faint sounds of the comings and goings of the castle around them, there was nothing to noisy. They were actually able to have a complete meditation session that day. Once they were finished with said session, the three of them stood up. Robin walked over to one of the trees in the courtyard and picked a leaf. Walking back, he handed it to her; positioning her hand so she was holding the small stem. The leaf was green, though it looked slightly grey in the dim cloud light. It was tear dropped shaped but with a point at both ends. She could tell the tree was obviously healthy with how tough and strong the leaf was when she touched it with her other hand. However she was not able to do much because Tharja slapped her hand away from the biomaterial. 

“That isn’t to play with.” Well now Tharja was making her seem like a child. Either way she followed the woman’s orders. “Now hold it up. This is a practice that many training mages use. We are starting with the element of fire because it is the easiest to call forth.”

“But didn’t you say I was going to be proficient with the element of earth?” All the while she held the leaf up.

“Yes. But even I will not be able to lend you help with that.” Robin spoke up this time. “The reason we are starting with fire, and why it is so easy to call forth, is because it is controlled by ones rage; anger, in other words.” Oh. “While it is easy to become angry, it is often times hard to calm oneself. Water and air are linked to relaxing one’s body. Fire and earth are the opposite. Since both Tharja and I are proficient with fire, we were going to use that first.” Now it was making since. She could see why fire was linked to anger. It was like the color red. Red is aggression and passion. Why wouldn’t fire be the same? So she simply continued to listen as Robin continued to speak. “Now the leaf.” His hand covered hers, but it was barely touching her skin. Tharja’s intense eyes watched, but that was all they did. She felt a warm sensation go up and through her arm from the center of her chest. To her amazement, the leaf started to catch fire. She quickly dropped it and stamped it out while Robin went and cut of an entire branch with a small dagger in his pocket. Walking back, he placed the branch down right after picking another leaf off of it.

“What I did was call forth latent anger in your heart.”

“Wait. You called it from my heart?” That was odd. She did feel heat from him as well; which he quickly clarified.

“Well, I called it mostly from your heart. Since your body is so full of magical energy, I can use some like a faucet. I did use my energy as well.” Robin said as he poked one finger right above her heart before doing it to his chest. She held onto the leaf again. “I often call upon it by using memories. That seems to be the easiest way to do so. That, or things that are currently happening to you that cause such feelings and emotions.” All the while Tharja nodded. Robin took a couple of steps back. “Because I use lightening and it is like a focused version of fire, I always have to channel it through my chest. It calls for that much more energy.” She watched in amazement as his feet spread a bit so he was in a more solid stance. His hands, now ungloved and rather lovely if she did say so herself, started to draw a line across his body. With his right pointer finger, he started at the center of his left hand and dragged it down his left arm. The first half of his chest that it crossed over went slow before it sped up. At the end he flicked his arm out with great speed and a shot of lightening flew from his right hand into the sky above. A clap of thunder followed and she was just completely shocked. For him to have that much power…. What had he gone through?

But right then was not the time for questions. Tharja moved so she was sitting down on the ground again; which Robin followed suit. Once the three of them were in place once again like they had been during the meditation, she started to try calling for the energy of fire within her. 

And being the occasionally impatient person that she was, not getting immediate results caused a bubble of anger to form in her chest. Why wasn’t anything happening? Even Tharja said that she was making incredible strides. Yet not even a spark flipped from the leaf. 

The three of them waited out there for what seemed like hours before anything started to happen. And it wasn’t to the leaf. Tharja and Robin blinked in surprise as steam started to billow from her shoulders. Well that wasn’t supposed to happen. Robin called her name and her eyes flipped open in anger. “What?” It was a bite. A bite that actually finally ignited something else. She hadn’t even noticed that her body had gotten so over heated in her anger; but she did noticed the mark that started to burn in the middle of the leaf. It grew, albeit slowly and not as hot, until it was covering most of the surface of the green leaf. 

They watched as she jumped up in excitement. Because of the quick motion and the wind from it, the fire finally sparked on the leaf and she dropped it before stamping it out on the ground. Both Tharja and Robin stood with shocked looks on their faces. “I did it!” She screamed in excitement. Both mages felt her throw herself at them; then a kiss on either of their cheeks. “I did it!” 

Yes they were shocked that she did in fact light the fire so soon after starting her training, but they were more surprised by the steam that had been rising off of her body. That was far from normal. And now they were wondering if she was stronger with the elements than they first realized. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, sorry that this chapter is so short. at the end of the year in the fics timeline, things will start to picK up.

They were just finishing out their training. Robin and Tharja, as well as Henry, were watching as she held a ball of flame in her hands. It was a normal bit of magic. Many of them had used it when they had no other source of light on them. However, she really should not have been able to conjure it up so soon.

Well, perhaps they shouldn’t be saying that. Just because she could do it before they could in the past, did not mean she “shouldn’t” be able to. It just meant that she was extremely gifted in the ways of magic. She was progressing so much faster than they all were first expecting. That was partially the reason Henry joined them today. Tharja thought it was about time that they started on wind magic; Henry’s specialty. Wind was a little harder to get control over than fire. Fire was based in “passionate” emotions; whether that be anger or anything else in that spectrum. Wind magic was more about alignment and peace. One had to be sure of themselves, or sure of something within their lives, to gain control over the element. Gaining control over the element of water was a similar process so once they started with Henry, they could quickly move on to water. That just left working with the element of earth. That was going to be a problem. While Tharja and Robin both had read up on the movements attached with earth magic, they could not do it themselves. Because of that, they would not be able to thoroughly teach her the process.

“Wow. It’s so odd that it’s just warm and not burning.” Her voice brought Robin out of his thoughts, causing him to look up at her. She had the ball of flames in one hand and had the other sticking straight through it. That expression she had on her face; it made his heart clutch a bit. How cute, he thought to himself as she stood; the others following as well. With a flick of her wrist the fire fluttered away and the four of them were left out in the warm summer sun. It was early in the season so it wasn’t too bad just yet. Not that Tharja and Robin ever complained about the weather since the two of them were from Plegia. To their surprise though, Henry actually did dislike the warm weather. Robin wondered if he spent most of his time indoors in Plegia. That had to be it considering how pale he was. 

“Indeed.” Tharja answered her. Well, “answered”. More just like commenting on what she had said. “It is because that is your energy. Not that it has a mind of its own, but it is working for you, not against you. Think about how when you are sick and your body works to help you get better if you treat it right. Your energy within you never actually had to be treated correctly. It just always works to help you out in the long run.” A simplistic way of putting it, but fine none the less. Robin and Henry both nodded though Henry had a large smile on his face; not unusual for the Plegian mage. There was a brief moment of silence where she was simply looking down at her feet before a voice came from the covered walkway.

Lissa. She called her name.

“Hey. Chrom needs to speak with you.” So that meant training was over for the day. But Robin knew what the Exalt wanted to talk about. He was actually needed there for the conversation so he followed right behind her as they walked back into the castle. It was a quick journey but one that he did not exactly want to finish. He opened the door and allowed her to walk in first.

That day she was wearing a similar get up as the day before. Just in simple brown pants and a white tunic. But this time she had forgone boots for small slip on shoes; similar to the ones that Tharja often wore. It was easier for her to practice in since Tharja always wanted her connected to the earth. “Hello Chrom.” She said. The Exalt was sitting behind his desk, signing papers. Robin counted his lucky stars that Frederick was not in there with them. He didn’t need the older man’s brutal honesty at the moment. 10 years knowing the knight and some of his words still stung a bit too much. 

Chrom looked up and spotted the two of them, a smile growing on his face upon recognition. “Hello you to. Please, take a seat.” He motioned towards the few couches in the corner. That was where he did casual business more often than not. That, or entertaining guest for tea when he wanted privacy. She and Robin both walked over and sat on the larger couch. Chrom stood and then sat down on the small couch next to theirs. At first no one said anything while Chrom set his sword down beside him. Only when the Exalt seemed comfortable did the man speak. “I hope that you are happy here.”

She was. She was very happy there. It had almost been two weeks, but it felt like it had gone by in just a blink of an eye. Everyone was so kind and courteous. No one treated her unjustly; though often times she did feel a bit broken and beat down by Frederick. It wasn’t as though he was rude. It was more just he was honest; and that could often be interpreted in such a way that came off as mean. “Yes of course.” 

“Good. That’s good.” Chrom answered, his voice quiet. Robin stayed silent as he watched his closest friend. The man seemed to be struggling with his words which was quite odd. In the past he would have expected that from Chrom, but not now. The man had become a magnificent ruler. Robin tried to mentally send the right words to the man though. It wasn’t his place to tell her what needed to be said. So with a deep breath, Chrom spoke again. “I did not want to upset you, but searching how to send you back will have to be put at the end of the to do list.” 

Robin’s eyes shifted to her face and did not see the emotion he had been expecting. While she looked a little upset, she was not mad. He had been reading about time travel and other things along those lines. Unfortunately there was not much. He would have to go to Plegia to get more information. While Ylisse was known for their diplomacy and noble warriors, they were not known for their mages; the exact individuals that would have been able to get her to their time. “I see.” Was all she said before allowing Chrom to continue.

“I wish we would be able to help you right now, but as it is, we do not have many mages that can look into this. Many are out on missions and trips and many just do not live in Ylisse any longer. At the moment, Robin, Tharja, and Henry are the only mages currently in Ylisse.” She nodded. “So I beg of you to be patient. I can only make sure that your time here is as enjoyable as it can be.” 

“Chrom.” Robin watched his friend hold in a breath while sitting up a bit straighter. It nearly made him laugh. Chrom was acting like he was 19 years old again, like when they first met. “It’s fine.” And she sounded honest. Both of them looked to her and found that just as her voice had said, her face hid nothing. She really was ok with what he had told her. “My time I have spent here has already been beyond enjoyable. Everyone is so kind. I think I can wait a little longer. Anyways,” Now she turned to Robin and patted his thigh. “I am having a lot of fun learning magic. In my world, magic doesn’t exist so this is just exhilarating. It’s like I’m living out some fantasy novel.” 

Robin and Chrom stayed quiet for just a little bit longer before the Exalt stood once again and made his way back towards his desk. She and Robin stood as well. “I am glad you aren’t too upset. Like I said, I will make sure that the time you spend here is enjoyable. There is just one slight problem though.”

Now she stopped in front of him; Robin standing beside her. “Problem?”

Chrom scratched the back of his head with a sigh. “Yes. The nobles. They have wagging tongues and bigger ears. Plus, they often put an OK on different pieces of legislation and missions that I send the Shepherds on. If you are to stay here, and to spend more time with the royal family, they will have to be ok with it. This is a bit more of a selfish request on my end. I enjoy your company and do not want you to move out to the Shepherds quarters.”

“And I have to agree.” Robin said. She glanced over at him for a moment before looking back at Chrom. There was a slightly surprised look on her face.

“Wait? So do I have to like, speak with them? Spend time with these nobles? I wasn’t exactly from a wealthy family in my world. I don’t know how to act as though I am royalty.”

“No. You won’t have to search them out and specifically speak with them. It is more that you will have to act a certain way whenever they are around. It is more about being prepared if the situation arises.” She crossed her arms over her chest and hummed. 

“I see.”

“It is not urgent of course. However since you are already learning magic, I don’t think things such as dancing and “proper” manners will be an issue. I must reiterate though, do not stress about it.”

Robin spoke up this time with a laugh. “Exactly. For the longest time, I was actually tutoring Chrom on how to properly hold his writing utensil. His handwriting was atrocious.” The Exalt had to quickly cover up some of his papers as his face flushed at Robin’s words. She frowned when she couldn’t see the fruits of Robin’s labor. 

“Hush. Now leave. The both of you.” 

At the Exalt’s command, Robin guided her out of the room; the two of them laughing at Chrom’s flushed face.

~’~

He sighed as his body dipped into the warm water. Steam rose from the surface around him as it lingered in the dark sky. Well, partially dark sky. Streaks of green, blue, and purple burst across the black canvas. Many would find such an occurrence strange, even cursed. But not him. No. He was used to such a thing. It happened often in the north. The further you went, the stronger the colors were. He found himself at the northern most piece of land. The heated pool of water was his and his alone. It was a place where he would truly be connected to the earth beneath him. 

Many did not understand the galaxy, the twisting abyss right above their heads. It was science that was not yet learned in his world. But he was not bound by such a thing. No. He saw the past, the present, and the future. That future was saturated with such wonder and beauty, but was particularly fond of the stars. Alas he knew that Mila and Duma were the ones who created such a thing and could only be thanked and worshiped in the process. So his burgundy eyes watched the shimmering waves of color in the sky while he untied his white hair. It dipped into the water behind him as he tilted his head back. Good, he thought to himself. As more and more hair dipped beneath the surface, the weight grew more and more. 

“Hmm.” He paused before pulling his white hair out of the water and leaning back against the side of the natural pool. His hair really had gotten too heavy. Without thinking and even realizing what he was doing, his hand reached out of the water and grabbed a hold of the dagger that he placed besides his clothing. With his free hand he grabbed his hair, held it up, and then brought the dagger along with it. One swift tug had him pulling away a handful of longs white locks. His eyes bore into the hair he held in his hand. It looked alive, like it would move on its own. “I digress.” He smirked before tossing both the hair and the dagger back to the side of the pool. Now was not the time. 

Instead, his minds eyes moved. It moved across the land; through snow and through stone. It moved across the ocean, through a desert, than to a castle. There it finally stopped. The hand that had been holding his hair dipped beneath the water and the pushed up so his palm was facing the sky. Hovering about two inches off the skin was an orb of pulsating water that was about five inches in diameter. Through the light of the moon, images started to dance upon the orbs surface.

“Ahh yes. My little kitten.” Now he could see. There she was. She was walking along side the Plegian “prince”. His own white hair looked almost silver in the Ylissean sun that streamed into the castle corridor. They were alone as they continued to walk. He could only presume they just came from the Exalt’s office. He continued to watch them go, laughing a bit as she made a face. It looked as though everything was coming along just fine. When she mocked bowing and curtsying, his speculation was confirmed. She wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. “And she will be here before long.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> get ready for dancing!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna have to kink shame Gaius.

She and Robin both stood off to the side, out of the line of sight to the people below them from the balcony. The Ylissean sun was brushing down on everyone; just another beautiful day in the countries capital. Out of the window, she could see how the city was decorated for the summer solstice festival. There were flowers and banners everywhere. Really it was stunning. She had been to renaissance festivals and things of the like in her own time, but this was the real deal. With the happy voices of all the people, it gave her a warm feeling in her chest. She wasn’t even a citizen of this country yet she felt the patriotism everyone was exuding. “This is incredible.” She muttered under her breath. The colors and sounds, even from where she and Robin were standing, were bright and beautiful. The man standing beside her nodded and hummed with a smile on his face.

“I agree. It’s been like this every year since I came to Ylisse. They sure do know how to party.” Robin said. He wasn’t wearing his large cloak that day; forgoing it since the weather was really that hot. They were lucky that it was so cool within the confines of the hallway though. 

He is not as lucky, she thought to herself as she looked over at Chrom before blushing jus the tiniest bit. The Exalt was dressed in his traditional ruler clothing; or at least that was what Robin told her. His armor was all shining tempered silver. Underneath he wore the same blue clothing he often had on, but the material was far finer. There was gold lining the silver and he had leather gloves on as well. Overtop it all, Frederick had placed a large navy blue cape that was lined with white fur. On the back, right in the center, was a white symbol; presumably the countries own. His regal outfit was completed with a shield that had multiple colored gems in it in the pattern of what looked like a tree and that giant sword, Falchion. 

They watched him stand there for a moment, about to go out and address his people as a ruler should before an annual festival. His long dark eyelashes rested against his high cheeks; eyes closed in thought perhaps. Chrom’s hand was placed on his Falchion as he stood as still as a statue. She was wondering what he was doing before his lips started to move. 

“Is he praying?” She asked quietly to Robin. The man glanced at her out of the corner of his eye before looking back to Chrom. Those brown eyes looked to Chrom’s lips the turned back towards her, leaning down so the Exalt could not hear them speak. 

“I believe he is speaking with Emmeryn.”

“Emmeryn?” She whispered back in question. Who was that? Robin was quick to answer.

“Emmeryn is-.” He paused with a slight flinch. “Was his older sister.” Oh. He didn’t need to explain the ‘was’ to her. It was pretty obvious with the reaction that Emmeryn was no longer with them. She recalled one of the first days she had been awake after her injury that Chrom said something about the woman. He had gotten the sad expression on his face. So she had died. Now she wondered exactly when she had passed. But now was not the time to ask. She nodded at Robin’s words and allowed the man to lean away once again.

After that, the two of them fell into a comfortable silence, watching as Chrom finished his message to his deceased sister. Once his lips stopped moving, he opened his eyes once again. She saw the solemnness in it, making her heart ache. She hadn’t even lived in Ylisse for long and she already cared immensely for the man. Robin as well. It was like there was an invisible thread that connected her to them. Perhaps it was because they were so kind to her. Either way, she watched as Chrom started forwards. Frederick followed after him but made sure to stay out of view of everyone. 

With Chrom lit against the sun, she sucked in a quick breath. 

“He is beautiful.” 

But it wasn’t her that said that. Well, she was about to, but the man beside her said it before she could. It caused her to blink, looking over with a surprised expression. Robin’s skin turned a deep shade of red, a rare occurrence since she got there. He looked like a candy cane as his shoulders tensed. 

“I agree.” Robin was obviously someone that didn’t share his emotions much considering that reaction. Her words seemed to help calm him down some though. 

Chrom was speaking with the crowd now so the two of them could be a little louder. 

It wasn’t like she was lying about what she thought of Chrom’s appearance though. He was always good looking, but dressed as he was only accentuated his good looks. “Looks like we both have good taste. And don’t worry.” Not that she knew what he would be worrying about, but Robin seemed to be calming down. “Chrom is just beautiful. You are just appreciating it.” Now she really was wondering about the social rulings on same sex couplings. From the way Tharja had reacted, it seemed as though they were not exactly common. But Chrom and Robin were so close so she had only suspected it was at least alright with them. Plus Chrom seemed so openly comfortable with Robin. Perhaps it was Robin that was slightly uncomfortable with the thought? Or maybe it was where Robin and Tharja were from. What was it called? Plegia? They had shown her on a map. The capital looked to be where Cairo would have been; at least in her time. 

Maybe it was just Plegians. She would have to look into it more later. Right then, Robin’s face finally stopped blushing and Chrom was finishing his speech. The Exalt waved to the people one last time before he turned and started back towards them. Fredrick hovered over the man’s shoulder for a moment, then spotted her and Robin. A frown crossed the man’s features but he understood that Chrom would not want him around. So with a quick word to Chrom, Frederick walked off, leaving the three of them alone in the corridor. Most of the Shepherds were already out in the city when the festivities started; Lissa included. Since Chrom had taken up the mantle of Exalt, she was much more comfortable going about the city. Not that Chrom wasn’t, she was just more readily available to. 

“You two can go out now if you wish. I have some things that I will have to do before joining you.” Chrom said. As he took off the cape and set it on one of the chairs that lined the hallway. He looked at them, switching between the two. “What?”

Luckily they were both able to stay quiet this time and simply smiled. “I think that is a good idea.” She grabbed Robin’s arm and leaned into him some. “You were going to show me the art down in the city. We found out that both of us are appreciators of fine pieces of work.” She knew she was teasing the white haired male but it was so hard to hold back. Robin blushed some again but thankfully Chrom did not notice. Instead he simply smiled as well.

“That sounds like a great idea. I will be down in some time. You two head on out.” 

~’~

“I didn’t know that the General found a suitor.” That was the fifth time someone whispered not so quietly to the person next to them as she and Robin continued down the main street. She couldn’t say much against the assertion though. Not when he had her close to him; she not willing that much to walk away. It was still one of the first time she had left the castle grounds. With it being during a festival it only made her that much more anxious. So they just played it off and continued on.

“You are very popular.” She whispered into Robin’s ear. The man shivered a bit from her breath upon his skin. 

“I don’t pay them all much attention. It’s easier that way. That is partially why I don’t like going out with Chrom. You think I am popular, you have no idea what it is like with him.” She could imagine. Chrom was handsome, young, and royal. It was a triple threat; not to mention a great warrior. With the time period, that was the pinnacle of manhood. Of course women and men alike would be throwing themselves at him. Well, she speculated that Ylissean men were. Once again she would have to look into the social context of both Plegia and Ylisse. 

There was also the fact that Chrom was single. He didn’t have a ring on his finger, nor did Robin. She was surprised she wasn’t hearing anything about that. Plus, that was something else she would have to bring up sooner or later. It was especially interesting with Chrom considering he had a child and was the ruler of the country. It wasn’t like Lucina didn’t look like him. She was the spitting image of her father. It was just the whole missing biological mother part.

“I guess it is good that we are by ourselves for now.” 

“Oh? Should I head back to the caslte?” Chrom’s soft voice came from behind them. How did they not hear him approach? If he was that popular, people should have been making noises. Or had she and Robin been so entranced with one another that they didn’t even notice Chrom’s approach? She did enjoy Robin’s company…

“We jest Chrom. Come, we were about to get some food.” Robin said, gesturing for Chrom to walk with them. The three of them didn’t even make it 100 feet before a voice stopped them.

“Didn’t know you were into threesomes blue but we could make it a foursome if you want.” For only the second time since she came there, Chrom’s face bloomed into a bright flush. It seemed as though everyone was going to get a turn blushing that day. 

She turned and spotted a red head that was casually sitting behind one of the stalls lining the street. His held different confectionary treats; all looking absolutely divine. Her sweet tooth got the better of her, ignoring Chrom and Robin and gravitating forwards. The red head seemed to smirk upon realizing he found another lover of sweets. As she ogled his selection, the man stood. “I had no idea you would be running a stand Gaius.” Robin said over her shoulder. Gaius. So his name was Gaius. Under the guise of continuing to parous his selection, she looked up at the man through her eyelashes. Well, not really looked up. He was about Chrom’s height, if not an inch taller, but no more than that. Gaius had a sweet looking face, making him look far younger than he probably was. She couldn’t get fooled considering some of the people she had met so far, like Nowi in particularly.

“You seem to be thinking about my offer blue.” Gaius said to Chrom. She couldn’t hold back the giggle at the nickname. Perhaps he met Gaius during the fabled war so many years ago. It would explain such a childish title. Unless Gaius was as young as he looked. Her laugh caused the man to glance down at her. “I see that someone actually appreciates sweets though.”

“Come. We were about to eat dinner. I wouldn’t want you to spoil your appetite.” Chrom started by grabbing her upper arm, not too tightly, but enough to get her attention. That had Gaius lifting a fine brow.

“Oh? You her daddy?” Robin had to choke back a snort from Gaius’s words. However she and Chrom weren’t nearly as lucky. Their faces became nearly blood red. For a moment she was worried he would pass out. 

“Gaius!”

“I’m just yanking your chain boss. Here, for the lady.” Gaius handed her a slice of what looked to be just plain cheesecake. However she couldn’t think like that. Though she hadn’t seen any animals in this time yet, well farm animals, she couldn’t say that there were plain cows. So instead she saved judgement until he quickly shut down his stall and walked around with a fork for her. “Might as well lock up for the day. It’s been rather hopping. I think I may hang with you three, get to know the pretty lady better.” Gaius said as he slid up next to her. As they walked further down the pathway, he spoke with her; asking about her name and where she came from. Of course she didn’t reveal all the info, casting a brief unreturned glance at Chrom and Robin, but she gave him enough. 

Before long, the four of them made it towards the main bone-fire in the middle of the city. Inky night had covered everything in Ylisse and the fire bit and whipped at the sky as though it were a living thing. To her, it partially was. She felt the reach and the tug, making her body tingle and wanting to handle it. However, it was quickly blanked out when Gaius came back with a couple of beers. He had already drank some apparently, but the three others were happy to partake. Of course Chrom being the Exalt, he only nursed that one glass for the rest of the time they were out there. Robin actually followed suit. However, she decided to let loose. It was the first time since she came there that she did such a thing. With Chrom and Robin watching over her, she wasn’t too worried. Plus Gaius was an extremely fun drinking partner. The stories of his time with the Shepherds had her in stiches she was laughing so hard. 

Because of the time she lived in, physical touches from the opposite sex were not looked down upon, neither were of the same sex. Gaius’s arm around her shoulder or his arm around her hip simply had her feeling more and more relax; much to the chagrin of Robin and Chrom. They were about to get up and get her to come back to the castle, but the sound of music starting up had her and Gaius up out of their seat. “Dance with me!”

And that’s exactly what he did. She was actually rather stunned at how well he moved. But didn’t he say he was a “reformed” thief? Of course he would have to be fluid if he was rushing in and out of houses, trying not to be spotted. 

His body felt like fire against hers at the sound of the drums. It was so sensual and erotic and fantastic that it just blotted everything else out. All the anxiety of finding her way home being pushed back, the fear of this world, the unknown; it could wait. Gaius’s hot body against hers felt like a grounding point. It was keeping her tethered to reality, and really keeping her up straight. 

At one point, she spun about, moving a little away from Gaius and slammed into what she thought was his firm chest. However when she glanced up, a familiar ROYAL face looked down at her. “Chrom! Are you going to dance as well?” She laughed while shaking her hips a bit. Her hands reached down and grabbed his own and physically shook them. Yet there was…was a coldness in his eyes. Instead, he shook his head and scooped her up into his arms so fast she nearly vomited the cheesecake and beer. “Ugh Chrom. You can’t do that so fast.” He was thankful that no citizens could hear them. How aghast and appalled would they look at the sound of someone just calling him Chrom. And someone that isn’t a well-known noble or a royal relative themselves. No matter. Gaius simply shrugged his shoulders as Chrom carried her in his arms back towards the castle, Robin following along beside them. 

The further and further they got from the licking flames of the fire, the heavier and heavier her eyelids got. Before long, Chrom felt her soft breath against his shirt, her head having fallen against his warm chest. Robin peaked at her sleeping face and smiled.

“She sure is a rowdy drunk. Who would have ever though?” He said with a smile. It was contagious and had Chrom smirking as the servants opened the front gate for them. The three continued on until they entered the actual castle walls. Robin was right behind Chrom as they headed towards her room. It wasn’t as though he would be going anywhere else. She still lived in his wing of the castle. 

So Chrom gently set her down. “Let me go get one of the ladies. They can get her ready for bed.” Robin stayed until Sumia actually walked in, Chrom not following behind her. He suspected that Chrom turned in for the night. Now that Sumia was there, he decided to follow the Exalt’s example and exited the room. Right as he was shutting the door, he heard soft giggled from both woman; one incredibly drunk and the other just happy to have another friend with her. 

~’~

Say’ri rushed down the hallway, Cherche following quickly on her heels. The black haired woman, now the leader of the nation of Chron’sin, had a severe frown set into her usually soft features. Well, perhaps not usually soft; but softer than her current expression. Her adjunct Cherche just looked as though she were going to pass out from anxiety. After the war those so many years ago, the nation of Chron’sin and the nation of Rosanne united. The two woman made sure that it stayed that way as well. Not that the Empire of Valm helped. Just like it always had been, they were cold and cut off. 

Say’ri brushed into the main meeting room with Cherche right behind her. The pink haired woman knew right away what was wrong. 

Jed Avraham already sat at the table, that unwavering and unnerving smile never leaving his face. His tan hands were out in front of him on the table. “I thought the hospitality of the kind nations of Chron’sin and Rosanne were far better than this.” Both the woman noticed the change in his appearance. While his skin was still dark and tan, his usually glossy, long white hair was chopped off. It looked like someone had done it with a sword and really didn’t do much more work to sheer it out; odd considering he was the leader of a nation. Aside from that, he looked rested, like, REALLY well rested.

Neither women wanted to be there. They knew what a snake Jed Avraham was; had seen and heard of his rise to the top and were not able to do anything about it. Not that they could ever pin anything on him. It was just that never ending sting in the back of their minds. This guy was trouble. But they were both leaders of this nation so they had to cool a mask back over their faces. Say’ri smiled, Cherche mirroring the look. “I apologize if you have been ill-treated your highness.” No need to piss the man off. Both of them were not exactly suited to take shots from a magic user. Their resistance had always been abysmally low. 

“Ah I was just, how do you saying, playing with you. But I do need to speak with both of you about what I came here for.” The women sat down on the other side of the meeting table. Outside, Say’ri knew the guards were ready to bust in at any moment. No one trusted Jed. Once they were settled, he started in. “I suspect that some people from your country have been coming into Valm and have been starting riots.” 

The room went silent, anger bubbling right under the surface. This was bad, Cherche thought to herself as she peaked over at Say’ri. The older woman stayed silent and allowed Jed to continue. “The reports from your nation, the reports of riots and fights, have reached my doorstep. It is only logical that the crime followed them.” He paused again and a wicked smirk made its way over his face. “Unless it didn’t follow them. Unless someone was commanding them.”

“I beg your pardon!” Finally Say’ri broke out into exclamation, her hands slamming onto the table in front of them. Jed didn’t even flinch.

“If you believe that to be false, then you need to get a control of your citizens.” This was the cold ruler. Both women had heard rumors but had not spent enough time with Jed Avraham to have seen it. The energy he was sending off was horrible; cold and blood curdling. “Now. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?” 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad Chrom, don't do that.

“What the hell is this place?” She asked as Lissa walked up beside her. She, Lissa, Stahl, Sully, and Sumia had been hiking the country side around the castle. As they traversed the property, they stumbled upon a structure she had never seen before. Or well, had never seen any like it before. What was so interesting about it was that if you looked at it from a certain angle, it would disappear. The way it was built had slatted openings laid in an uneven pattern. From what she could see, it looked to be completely empty inside, which only confused her further. 

“Oh! It is a church.” Lissa was the first to answer. She had convinced the blonde to wear pants instead of her usual dress since they would be hiking for a while. At first Lissa had been hesitant since Stahl, her husband, was coming along; but she got the upper hand. 

“A church? May I go in?” She asked. The princess nodded and guided the group within the building. Once inside, she noticed that it really was not that big at all. 30 people would be uncomfortable in there. For a church, it sure wasn’t big enough to hold a congregation. But that did not really matter; not when she was in there at least. It was a stunning building. In the setting sun, since it was set right on the top of a hill, it looked like there was no wall in front of her. It was a strange sensation knowing she was in fact inside of a building and there was in fact “a wall” in front of her. “Why is there a church all the way out here? I thought there was a chapel in the castle? Or at least closer to it that is.” This time it was Sumia who answered.

“Well quite often, people come to this one to get married. This is where Frederick and I got married.”

“And Stahl and I as well!” Lissa laughed, jumping onto her husband who also laughed and grabbed her before she could fall. 

So this was a popular marriage church. It seemed as though many of the Shepherds that were married came here. She knew that Chrom and Robin…Well, she didn’t know if they were married. While neither had a ring, that didn’t mean much. Perhaps they took it off when they fought or did official business. Perhaps they just didn’t like wearing one at all. The only thing that made her doubt that was the fact she had never seen their wives or husbands, if they had one. “Did your parents get married here Lissa?” The blonde nodded, still hugging tightly onto Stahl.

“Yep. I hadn’t been born yet. Once they were married, they had Emmeryn, Chrom, and I pretty quickly. I heard she looked stunning though.” They all started to talk after that. Sully spoke of how she didn’t really think marriage was all that important which had Lissa and Sumia up in arms. She, instead, turned towards the front of the building. Her eyes trained on the horizon, she saw the outline of the castle in the distance. From here, it looked almost like some stereotypical Disney castle. Beauty and the Beast? No. More like Sleeping Beauty. Did that make Lissa Aurora? She sure looked the part. Stahl even reminded her of the prince from that movie. But she doubted Lissa would stay still as long as Aurora did. 

And rarely Disney princesses had siblings. She knew Ariel did; but no brother. “Hey? You still with us?” Sully said. She was standing next to her, and the church had gone quiet. They were all staring at her with weird looks on their faces. 

“Yeah.” They still stared. “What?”

“Are you sure? You are crying.” Stahl stated with a strange tilt to his voice, as though he were anxious it could be his fault. When she reached up and touched her eyes, she was in fact crying. But why? 

“What happened? Did the conversation about marriage make you upset? Is it something in your past? We can get you a nice guy here!” Lissa started. But she just shook her head. As to why she was crying, she was really unsure. She did know not having a guy was not the reason…or at least that’s what she thought.

“Must be allergies or something. How about we head back. I could go for a nice bath right about now.” While Lissa, Sully, and Stahl all looked relatively convinced; Sumia was less to take in what she said as the truth. Either way, they turned and headed out of the church and back towards the castle.

~’~

It was a couple of weeks after that when she really felt like talking with anyone once again. Going to the church…It had put her in such a funk. She really was unsure as to why, but it hovered over her like a disease. Though she spent much of that time by herself, she still spoke with Tharja. Well Tharja, Morgan, and Lucina. The older girl was still wary and did not speak much, but Morgan made up for it more than enough. Robin’s daughter was like a tornado of sunshine and rainbows as the Ylissean summer trudged on. Unlike America, the weather here was relatively mild, which she enjoyed quite a bit. It was like the springtime, not the middle of July.

When she finally came out of her funk, she found herself in one of the great halls with Robin, Lissa, Frederick, and Maribelle. There were a couple of other people she had never seen before; but she was quick to realize what they were there for. The instruments in their hands gave them away. It seemed as though dancing lessons would occur that day, whether she liked it or not. Not that she believed they would force her to do anything. Well, maybe Frederick and Maribelle; but that was beside the point. 

This would give her something to do. While she enjoyed the kids company, as well as Tharja’s, there was only so much they could do. So dancing with them would be a change of pace. Frederick stepped up to her first. His armor was absent, though what looked to be a rapier was still sheathed at his side. Of course, she chuckled to herself as Lissa arranged the two of them. 

Frederick, though handsome and tall, was incredibly stiff. His large hand at the small of her back felt like a plank of wood. The grip of his hand in hers wasn’t much better; feeling like a metal clamp. But the music started up and they were off. She didn’t have much experience dancing, especially not formal dancing like the two of them were doing. But Frederick was good at leading. It was almost like she was gliding across the floor. And really she didn’t even feel as though she were stumbling along either. He was just a good dancer.

That didn’t mean he was a good teacher though. Maribelle was the first to stop them, one of her white gloved hands grabbed Frederick’s shoulder. The older man stepped away before turning towards the blonde. “Yes Maribelle?” He asked as though it wasn’t the most obvious thing in the world he was leading to the point she wasn’t doing anything. The medic just sighed before snapping to attention, turning towards Robin. He jumped himself.

“Robin! Come here!” He did as he was told to and walked over to her. Standing there, with so little space between them, she felt her face heat up. In the weeks where she didn’t speak much to anyone, she was able to think quite a bit. One of those things she thought of was her relationship with Robin. The man was handsome, more so than anyone she had met in her own time. There was something…something different about him. He was like a wildflower no one had ever discovered. It made her heart thump loud in her chest as the music slowed to a stop. Could he hear it? Could he hear how her heart was beating out of her chest? “Now you dance with her, and slowly.” 

Robin, the gentleman he was, lightly placed his hand where Frederick’s had been. Unlike the stiff knight though, Robin was far more relaxed. He had a tender small smile on his face as he took her hand in his. Slowly, the music started up once again and he made the first move. Just like Frederick, Robin lead. However, unlike the brunette, she could still feel her own feet hitting the ground. She still had a sense of the way they were moving about. Every few steps, he would whisper something to her, explaining how she needed to move or where her arms needed to be. 

She just gravitated closer as the two continued to dance. It was like the rest of the world faded away. “You know,” she started, finally able to speak once again. Perhaps it was because she felt so safe within the confines of his arms. Robin had demonstrated how powerful he was, she knew she was safe. “You know I wish I had my phone. I would be able to play some music for you; some other music to dance to.” Robin was one of the few she had explained a phone to, or at least explained to the best of her abilities. There had been a time when she was hesitant to do just that though. That was before she remembered they wouldn’t burn her for being a witch considering Robin himself was technically one. Almost everyone could do magic in this time and place. She had to remind herself that it wasn’t the same “medieval” era as her world. 

Gods above Robin was a magnificent dancer. Was it because of his background? It had to be. Perhaps all Plegians were good dancers. Who knew? 

Either way, the continued on the dance floor, gliding around like it was the simplest thing in the world. Before long, she felt as though she had been dancing for years. It probably helped that she was a boxer, already having a slight background in moving her body in a certain way. The two of them did not stop until Chrom made an appearance in the hall. He looked…. He looked angry. It was bizarre, the first time she had ever seen such an expression on his usually calm and happy face. It really made him look his age.

She and Robin stopped dancing but the music continued, presumably to just give them background noise considering the Exalt was in the room now. “Hello Chrom.” Robin said. Still he looked less than happy; even with his best friend speaking with him. She decided keeping quiet was for the best, knowing that if she opened her mouth it would only go south. Chrom’s eyes looked between all of them before landing on her. 

“You, follow me.” He said in a cold tone that bit at her heart. What the hell was his problem? She glanced at Robin before following after the pissed off Exalt. Thankfully, Robin was trailing after her, leaving the others in the ballroom. It took no time at all since Chrom was apparently ready to be back in his office. Once inside, he stormed over and sat at his desk, letting Robin and her stand before the giant hunk of wood. 

“May I enquire as to what this is about?” Robin asked, causing Chrom to flinch. He really had only expected her to follow him. He even looked angry that Robin was there. Well no matter and tough shit for Chrom. She was not about to let Robin leave her alone with the angry individual in front of her. 

Apparently judging that it was too much of a hassle to make Robin leave, Chrom zeroed in on a piece of paper on the desk in front of her. He flipped open the folds, turned it around, and pushed it towards her. Well what could it be? She picked it up and recognized the handwriting. 

It was from that Jed man that lived in Valm. As she read, she felt her stomach drop like a rock. This could not be happening.

Somehow, someway, he named her specifically. Her full name in the man’s smooth handwriting looked wrong, like something that should not exist. Well, to her it should not considering she was not even from this world. But that was not the point. Now she was seeing why he was so angry.

“Would you care to explain how he knows your full name?” She had not even told Chrom her middle name, yet this man knew. How? How the hell did he have it?

“I have no idea.” Her voice angry. She seriously did not know. “Why would you think I would have any knowledge of this?” She asked, throwing the piece of paper back down onto the table. His eyes never left hers, even as he pulled the letter back towards him and put it into one of the desk drawers. That look. It was an accusatory look, like…

“Chrom. You can’t really be thinking what I think you are thinking.” She heard Robin say beside her. Yet the man did not even look away. He just continued to throw guilt charging spears in her direction. 

“You cannot be serious? You think I have had contact with this person? I don’t even know what he looks like? I wouldn’t even know how to begin getting in contact with him otherwise!” She knew she was beginning to sound hysterical, but it was Chrom’s fault. 

“Well it sure looks like it. You even gave him your middle name.” Chrom actually sounded a little jealous when he said that. Well, jealous and angry. It didn’t stop her from scowling.

“What the hell is your problem Chrom? I did not have contact with this prick.” She was screaming now. “You seriously think I did?” 

Chrom stood and to be honest, she took a step back out of fear. It was the first time in all the time she spent here that she was afraid of Chrom. Of course he was a big man, bigger and far more deadly with a weapon than her. But that had never scared her, not until now. “I did not want to believe Frederick and be wary of you. But now I feel like I should have from the start.” Now Robin jumped in.

“Chrom you know as well as I do she would not have the ways or the means to get a letter out. All mail goes through the guards.” Robin’s soothing voice fell on deaf ears apparently because Chrom just slammed his hands on the desk before raking everything off of it in a flourish. Papers, feather quills, and a full bottle of black ink went flying off the desk. Honestly, she jumped back some, frightened by his outburst. Hey, angry men scared her. Angry men that she had not known long enough to know what they would do scared her even more. Apparently it did not scare Robin. “Chrom!” The Plegian shouted. But once again Chrom ignored his friend’s words.

“Go to your room.” He commanded her. But she just felt her anger rising through her fear. 

“What? Was Gaius right? Are you my father now? You can’t tell me what to do Chrom! I’m 22 Chrom, not a damn child.” God she just wanted to clock him in the face. But he just rolled his eyes. At this point, Robin would not be able to break up their spat even if he tried. 

“You may be 22 but you are still ten years younger than me and you are acting like a child. Now if you could please do what I ask of you for once!” His louder yell over powered hers and she just was too angry to go on. Instead, she stormed out of the room, leaving the two men by themselves. 

Robin turned away from the door where he watched her leave. “Was that really necessary Chrom? Do you really think she is a spy?” The white haired male watched Chrom sigh and walk back around the table to sit down. The Exalt looked ten years older than his true age. 

As Chrom rubbed his temples, he sighed. “I just needed her out of the room so I could think. This is a test. I don’t want to think that she is a spy, but I have to be certain and this will tell me what I want to know.” Robin did not know what his friend was doing; he just hopped he did not regret it.

~’~

She locked herself in her room and curled up on the bed; furious beyond words. How dare Chrom treat her like that? What the fuck was his problem?

Her angry, and slightly petulant silence did not last long. A small knock came from the door; far too small to be a certain grown man she was avoiding. So she walked over and opened it, not expecting the person that was there. 

Morgan and Lucina were standing before her. Their wide young eyes were staring into her soul, almost as though they could see every word their fathers shared with her. Without another word, they walked around her and got up onto her big bed. While she was not all that shocked to find Morgan there, Lucina was the kicker. But instead of question the kid’s motives, she walked over and sat on the bed with them, scooting up so her back hit the headboard. They stared and stared and stared.

“I don’t know what I’m doing.” She deiced to just come out and say it. Perhaps speaking with someone would help all of this. It wasn’t like they would know what was going on, but getting it off her chest would feel good, so she continued. “I don’t know who that Jed person is.” Shit, she felt a familiar burn in the back of her throat. This time she could not stop the tears. The two young girls curled up to her side as she curled into a small ball, her head between her knees. “I was so scared when Chrom was yelling. I did not know what to do; especially now that I know they are my friends.” A sniffle. “Or at least were my friends.” She sobbed a little harder. “I feel so lost.”

Little did she know, a rather guilty feeling Exalt was standing behind the door, listening to her broken cries of confusion and pain. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm the person that actually gets horrendous motion sickness. And don't get too mad at Chrom. He does just want the best for his country. and YES, I do adore Anastasia. The boat scene is based off of this:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3s7ZwpFCsc

“What is this that I have heard about you punching a senator?” Chrom’s voice came from her side. She was in one of the large sitting rooms in the castle. She had searched and searched for the privacy and enjoyed it while it lasted. Alas, it was not meant to last long. Really Chrom was one of the last people she wanted to see as well. It was the end of the day, the sun setting and casting the room in an orange glow; that meant he was supposed to be in a meeting. She made extra sure to not look in his direction and just crossed her arms over her chest as she stared out the window. The couch she was sitting on was partially made into the stone of the wall. The entire wall was in fact. “Are you giving me the silent treatment? I know it happened. I saw the man’s face.” Chrom said again as he walked over to her. He stood facing her side since she was stretched out on the couch. 

“He had it coming.” She spat out. Of course she wasn’t mad at Chrom himself. It was that damn senator. Chrom did not seem to understand this though. He sighed.

“I doubt violence was the answer-“

“Well he grabbed my ass. I think I have the right to slug him Chrom.”

That had the Exalt pausing. She wanted to turn and see the look on his face, but she was also too stubborn to drop the act. So she simply waited for him to respond. “While I understand that can be upsetting, and I will have a VERY stern talking with him, you should have handled it more civilly.”

“Oh shut your mouth Chrom!” She shot up. In their position, they were chest to chest. She felt a ping of anger that she had to look up to stare him in the eyes. He had no right to be so brawny and tall. “I thought you would understand.”

“I do understand. I just don’t think you should have physically hit him. You shouldn’t have reacted so childishly.”

“I am not a child Chrom.” She said as she tried to walk around him. But his large hand gripped her wrist tightly. He yanked her arm up so the two of them had to stare at each other again.

“You may not be a child in age any longer, but you are still ten years younger than me and I am still the Exalt. While you are living in my country, you will follow my rules.” The entire time he was speaking, she was tugging on her hand, attempting to free herself from his tight grasp. Alas it was all for naught. His grip felt like iron around her wrist. 

“You aren’t my ruler.” She spat back into his face. He frowned, their faces growing slightly closer in the anger of the moment. “You won’t ever be. Now don’t tell me how to react when someone grabs my ass.” Something she would never admit was that Chrom really was intimidating in that moment. She had seen him be serious in the past, but not exactly angry. This anger was palpable. But she hid her fear well, even as his free hand gripped her chin tightly so she could not look away.

“If you will continue to act like a child, I will punish you like one and have you over my knee.” 

Her angered face bloomed into a red color. They both knew what he just said, yet he never lost that stony composure. Even though her angry frown did not waver, her face felt hotter than the sun itself. “Now you are acting like a pig Chrom. You shouldn’t say things that I know you won’t follow through on.” His face did not change even as he pulled her a bit closer. Now their bodies were pressed tightly against each other. 

His words that followed had flutters bursting from her stomach. “Don’t test me.” Chrom’s hand gripped her hair, pulling her head back. The other left her wrist and he wrapped it around her waist so she could not move from him. 

“What?” It was all she could get out before he nosed at her neck. She wasn’t sure what to do with her arms; the feeling of his breath upon her neck was too much. Chrom’s mouth opened up and pressed a kiss further up on her jaw as he moved his mouth towards her ear. Once it was there, he licked the shell. 

“I don’t know what to do with you.” He muttered. She was shaking from the heat of it all so he gripped her tighter. If they were any closer, she was sure they would become one. The lines between the two of them were already blurring beyond what she could see. 

“Chrom.” It was all she could breathe as he nosed at her again. He was not kissing her much. Just ever few seconds upon the skin his mouth could reach. In the light of the sunset, things morphed together. The summer heat of Ylisse was not helping. Everything felt so sensual and slow as Chrom nuzzled her neck. Once again he pressed an open mouth kiss upon her skin. This time he sucked the exposed skin there. That had her gripping his tunic and throwing her head back in pleasure. She was sure that would leave a mark. “Chrom stop.”

It came out of nowhere. It all did. Well, maybe not out of nowhere. She had seen the looks he had given her. There had been brief hand touches and moments where they passed each other in the hallways, but she really did not expect him to do this. If he were anyone else, anyone aside from the Exalt of a country, she would be fine with what they were doing. But he was royalty and she was most certainly not. So when he was not pulling away immediately, she pushed him off of her and rushed out of the room. Chrom stood there, a little stunned at first. What in Naga’s name did he just do? 

~’~

After that incident in the great hall, she and Chrom rarely spoke until they had to board the boat to Valm. It came much faster than she had been expecting, but that was not really a problem. Not when maids packed things for her. She had a trunkful of gowns and other clothing she had never seen before. And she knew there were gowns because of what they stuffed her in before they set out to the port. Apparently the social rules in Valm were far more “conservative”, constituting the deep green dress she was currently in. 

Luckily she was still able to wear her boots. That helped as she walked up the gang plank beside Lissa. Robin and Chrom were already on the boat, and the others that were going were not too far behind Lissa. “I love sailing.” She said to no one in particular, though Lissa was still standing beside her. The older blonde woman glanced over.

“They have boats were you are from?” She asked. Though she and Lissa had spoken quite a bit in the past, they never really broached the topic of where she was from. Now, with everyone on board as well as all the supplies, they set off. “Yes. While they do not use wood very often to build them, we still have boats. My friend would get such horrid sea sickness.” She explained with a laugh. Already she could feel the breeze of the sea. It was fantastic. 

“Oh. I think you have a caller.” Lissa said, well kind of sang, while turning away. On instinct she reached towards where her pocket would be to get her phone. Upon realizing what Lissa had mean, she turned .Robin was strolling towards her. Like always, there was such an intriguing air around him. It probably had to do with his attire. Presumably having placed it down somewhere, his giant goat was missing; displaying that lean physique. While he was not as tall as Chrom, nor as built, he was still about the same size as her. Well, same height. 

With the coat gone. He looked far more his age. You could see the billowy white tunic that was tucked into tight black pants. His boots looked quite a bit like hers, though his were over top of his pants. 

“That dress looks beautiful on you.” Robin started. She watched his eyes trail down before going back up to her face. Alright, that made her blush.

But about the dress. When she first saw it, she almost started laughing. Not that it was ugly, quite the contrary. It was just the spitting image of the one Anastasia wore in the animated movie; just with a different color. How appropriate that she would be wearing a dress that looked like that though; especially when they were about to set out on a ship to meet a stranger. 

“Thank you.” She did a spin, just as Anastasia had done in the movie. However, Robin was being far more level headed and suave than Dimitri. The white haired Plegian even grabbed both of her hands when she was facing him again. He gazed for a bit long before speaking.

“Would you care for a dance?” Gods she really was living out Anastasia. What’s next? Finding out she was actually royalty the entire time? But she nodded to his question none the less. Like they had in the ballroom that day, but with her having a bit of the dress in her hand, they came together. Something else was different and it was all Robin. 

They definitely were not leaving room for Jesus.

The two started their dance on the empty space at the head of the boat. All the while, the lack of music was bothering her. Not wanting to sing that song during that part of the movie, she deiced on another. 

“Dancing bears, painted wings.” She started to sing lightly; just to Robin. He hummed in question but she just continued to sing. No that he minded. Robin seemed to enjoying it quite a bit. So she continued. Her little playlist with through every song on that soundtrack before getting to the one she skipped in the first place. By the time the port and solid ground were out of sight, the sky had turned a beautiful orangey red from the sunset. Up that close to Robin, he did not even look human. Everything was glowing; his hair looking like sparkling starlight.

Her voice got softer as their faces grew closer. Oh she had an idea of what could happen and she was not adverse to it.

Her face felt warm when she sang the part, “I just forgot romance.” However, Robin looked as confident as ever. As her voice trailed off at the end of the song, she realized they had stopped. Their bodies were completely pressed up against one another with no extra room.

“I.” Was all she could get out before they pressed their lips together. In the glow of the sunset and the breeze of the ocean, it did not feel real. The kiss was soft, softer than she ever had felt before. Their lips pulled away slowly, but did not move far. The two of them were still so close that she felt his lips upon hers as they breathed in sync. She looked up, catching his soft white eyelashes flutter. They did not look white though, not in the light of the sun; just like his hair. They looked like molten lava. “Robin.” She breathed. His eyes glanced down before he kissed the side of her lips. He kissed and kissed and kissed but it never got too heated. Even when he moved his head so he was kissing and nipping at her ear and her neck. “Robin.” She whimpered again. “People will see us.” Not that she really cared. In her time, PDA was as normal as breathing. Well, not like, full blown macking on each other in public. But kissing was not a problem.

She was presuming it was a problem here though. So with a little push, they were parted and she had to turn away to cover the severe flush on her cheeks. “Thank you. That dance was lovely.” She knew he wanted to reach out, to touch her somewhere again; but Robin was far more level headed then he let on. So he nodded, thanking her for the dance as well before walking away. 

Now she could not wait to get to Valm, to cool herself down in the snow.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chrom still has trouble speaking in front of people so that's why they just kind of, speak with their eyes I guess haha. Yes the castle is the same as the one in Shadows of Valentia. And yes, I got my inspiration for their magic from bending; but what fight did I get her move from???? Hmmm???

Before they even spotted the land of Valm, the temp dropped dramatically. It was still early fall but it was late enough to bring snow apparently. She admittedly always disliked the cold. She was a native Texan after all. And considering the fact she was from Houston, seeing snow was a chance few and far between for her. When large chunks of ice began to wade through the water towards their boat, she frowned, obviously displeased. 

Robin was quick to take notice. He walked over towards her, a hand reaching out and touching her shoulder to alert her to his presence. Robin thanked the gods that she was not uncomfortable around him, not after the rather intimate moment they had shared earlier on the boat. When she turned to him and nodded, his hand slipped down to the small of her back and tugged lightly, making her step closer to him. “How perceptive of you.” She laughed, curling into his side. Of course he would have noticed her shivering. Pressed up against him, her body began to warm. It was better than any heavy coat she could wear. 

Double thankfully, Chrom was not in her line of sight considering the two of them were at the front of the boat. He was either somewhere behind them or somewhere below deck. Either way, the tension between the two of them was still palpable. With the fight they had and then the kisses they shared, she was rather lost about it all. “What put that look on your face?” She heard and felt Robin whisper into the crown of her head. That shook her out of her thoughts. No way was she going to tell Robin what had happened after her and Chrom’s argument, not after what the two of them shared on the boat. So instead, she just looked at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He tilted his head to the side and she laughed at how positively appropriate he looked in the environment around him. 

When she found out that Plegia had a desert climate, she could easily admit she was surprised. His appearance was rather contradictory to that. Tharja looked far more a Plegian than Robin. He looked like he could have been from Valm, perhaps in another life. 

A snowflake fell onto his white eyelash and she laughed, brushing it away with her finger. “You look like a yeti.” She said with a smile. It only confused the Plegian more. There was a brief moment where the two of them were just staring at each other before it was rudely interrupted. 

“LAND IN SIGHT!” Vaike yelled into their ears, causing the two of them to stumble away from each other. In all honesty, she was surprised when she saw the list of people going with them to Valm and that Vaike was included on said list. Frederick and Lissa were a given. She was not all that shocked by Stahl, Cordelia, or Libra either. But Vaike was the odd one out. Of course he was good for security purposes, the fierce fighter that he was; yet he was kind of a brute. Case in point what he just did. Robin gave him a rather nasty look that Vaike just smirked back at. All the while, she turned to look where Vaike had been pointing and there it was. 

It seemed as though her experiences were lining up nicely with princess movies because now she felt like she was in Pocahontas among other things. She was technically sailing to North America; in the North East close to the border of Canada to be exact. 

The line of land was beautiful, even with the cloud coverage, fog, and ice. Snow covered every inch of the land, creating a beautiful winter wonderland effect. Behind her, she could hear the commotion of people getting ready to dock at the port. There were so many familiar voices but she knew she was not needed for it. That was strange part of living with royalty. You really did not need to lift a finger. 

Before she knew it, they were docking in the port. It was still about midday so it was far busier on land than she first expected it to be. Men, women, and children of all ages bustled about. The ever present smell of sea water wafted through the air, but it was nothing she did not mind. She actually enjoyed it quite a bit. 

Finally, Lissa was the one to come and get her. The older blonde woman threaded her arm with hers and the two of them walked towards the gang plank. Everyone else was already off, waiting by the luggage. It was then that she noticed that there were some rather intimidating looking soldiers milling about. Many of them in red and black armor, it was a few more minutes until someone she presumed to be a rather important person step forwards. He walked right up to Chrom and they appeared to know each other. She watched with enraptured eyes.

“Hello your Lord Avraham.”

Oh.

OHH.

She was stunned. To be honest, she had been rather upset with the man she had never met or laid eyes on. He was the reason she and Chrom were upset with one another. 

Seeing him was a completely different story. The man was tall, a little bit taller than Chrom. His hair was short and shaggy and a beautiful silver color; a little similar to Robin’s hair actually, just more grey. He had tan skin and sharp eyes. If she did not know any better, he could pass for a Plegian. 

Chrom and Jed seemed rather buddy buddy while they spoke quietly to one another. All the while, servants and guards were packing up their luggage onto multiple different carriages. She and Lissa stood and watched, waiting to see what would happen next. Which, when it did occur, was something she had not been expecting. 

Jed suddenly turned his head towards her. His eyes practically pierced her very soul, causing her to shrink back involuntarily. However, the fierce look only lasted a second and then an expression of pure worship crossed his face and she couldn’t have been more confused. That passed to everyone else when he walked straight over to her and knelt onto one knee. She could not help when her jaw dropped, like the rest of her group, when he grabbed her hand and pressed the lightest kiss upon its knuckles. When Jed stood again, he spoke over his shoulder at the approaching Chrom. The Exalt looked rather pissed off. Whether it was from Jed being so intimate with her or something else, she could not tell. 

“I had no idea that you brought such a powerful mage with you your highness.” Jed said to Chrom. Chrom crossed his arms over his chest but did not say anything else, apparently knowing that Jed was not done. “And to think that she is likely a decedent of Mila and Duma’s bloodline.” Ok now she was completely confused. When she tried to speak, it just came out as an ‘ugh’ sound. “You will come with Lord Robin, the Exalt and I in the front carriage.” And before she could say anything else, Jed was pushing her forwards. He helped her into the carriage where he then followed in behind her. Robin and Chrom sat across from them, the benches facing one another. 

The only sound she could make again was a low groan in the back of her throat. Jed looked over at her for a moment, wondering if something was wrong. But when he saw her staring out the window to the carriage, he just turned back to Robin and Chrom. Chrom’s face was one of barely suppressed rage and Robin was looking at her with a touch of guilt. It wasn’t like he knew what was going to happen. Unless he did. That thought made her more upset than she already was so she pushed it away. No reason to not compartmentalize after everything she had been through lately. “Lord Avraham, may I ask what that was back there?” Chrom decided to finally break the strange silence. Jed’s sharp eyes glanced to Chrom’s. 

“As I said back there,” Jed started, motioning towards the port with his hand as the carriage moved forwards. “She is more than likely a decedent of Mila and Duma’s bloodline.” She, Chrom, and Robin all knew that was more than likely false. It was likely she wasn’t a decedent of Mila and Duma’s bloodline, whoever they were, since she wasn’t really from this world. That wasn’t something they were about to share with the man though. So they continued to listen. When Jed reached over and took her hand before she could pull it away, Chrom’s eyes zeroed in on the connection. The frown could not be held back this time, but Jed either did not care or did not notice. “As a worshiper of the blessed family, I am simply over the moon with being able to meet someone with such power.” 

There it was again though. Robin and Tharja both believed she had all this power. She had been able to manipulate the ground a couple of times, the ground being dirt, rocks, and the like. It was not much but she had slowly progressed until she could even manipulate metals. If what Jed was saying was true, though it was unlikely, it would explain her “advanced” powers. Either way, she acted as polite as she could when she slipped her hand away from Jed’s and leaned back, exhausted from everything that had happened over the last couple of weeks really. With the snow hitting the glass outside the window and the slow rocking of the carriage, she drifted to sleep to the sound of the men talking. It did not matter what she said, it was not her problem.

~’~

She awoke to the feeling of Chrom’s hand on her knee. When her eyes flittered up, Robin and Jed were already outside of the carriage, speaking once again. The thing had stopped and Chrom was the only one left in there with her. Already, with the door open, she could see her breath slipping from her lips like smoke from Tharja’s fire magic. Her eyes slipped over to the side where a large fur cloak sat beside Chrom. He was already wearing one so she presumed it was for her. And she was correct in her presumption. He helped her out, the weird tension between the two of them blessedly gone for at least a couple of seconds while he wrapped the thing around her. Now she felt like she was in Game of Thrones. The thing looked like Jon Snow could have been wearing it in the last season of the show. 

Plus the giant castle that stood in front of her. Now this thing looked like the Starks had a stronghold over it. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she noted that they had come through an opening, large grey stone walls surrounding them in the courtyard they stood in. A large set of steps was in front of her that led around on either side of the walls, an obvious strategic advantage to those that stood above her. She could only guess that they “main” entrance to the castle was somewhere above her on those walls. 

For a second, she stood there in the snow, looking at Chrom with guilt in her eyes. There was a reflection of that emotion in his. Without saying a word, they were seeing that they felt like shit for what they did to each other. Well, for how childishly she reacted to Chrom being an asshole; only proving his point about her age. They had been doing so well before that, had something really good between the two of them; and now they were pretty tired of walking on eggshells around each other. 

A quick nod was all Chrom was able to get off, indicating he did not feel like fighting anymore, before Jed turned away from Robin. The man attached himself to her side like a sucker fish, happily starting to chat about the history of the castle, the history of the country, and everything in between. He would happily ask for her input on things, confusing her more and more about his intentions. Behind her, the others followed; quite obviously listening to what was being said. They were allies, Valm and Ylisse that did not mean they couldn’t gather as much information as they could. So she tried to continue the conversation with Jed, being polite as possible while doing so. Chrom may be fine with her treating him not like royalty, but that did not mean a king she just met didn’t. 

The flurry continued in through the castle and all the way to the quarters Jed personally showed their group to. They were given an entire wing of the castle for their stay, even though many other royals were showing up. It just so happened that Jed apparently wanted to impress Chrom and his group more than he already had. If it was because of her, she really did not want to know. She did not want to upset the delicate balance she just got back with Chrom. So instead, she milled about in the room she was given before taking the fur cloak off, leaving her in the dress she had been wearing on the boat. Even though the sleeves were shorter and the fabric was thinner, it was far warmer in the castle. Of course it was not warm enough for her to not feel a bite, she just did not feel like wearing a cloak. Plus, as she walked beside Robin and Stahl back to the sitting room Jed has shown them before hand, it got warmer. The giant, Beauty and the Beast like fire place on the other side of the room was the culprit for said temperature change. 

Jed and Chrom were already sitting by the fire and speaking quietly with one another. Stahl, realizing that this was not a conversation he would really be privy to, nodded and headed off down the hall. She was about to follow Stahl since she still believed she should not be allowed to sensitive information, but Jed’s voice calling out her name stopped her. She blinked and looked towards him. Chrom and Jed had both looked towards the door and Robin was already half way across the room. The silver haired male motioned towards her, indicating he wanted her to come closer. For a moment she wondered what the punishment would be to deny a king an order. Instead of find out, she sighed and walked over to one of the empty chairs. It took everything in her not to curl her legs under her like she usually would. It was partially because of the melting snow still on her boots and the dress was long but not that long.

So they continued speaking for a few moments before Jed stopped the conversation and turned towards her. “Chrom has allowed me the chance to meet you, but I would like to know more about you.” Of course. She was unsure if he was the mage that saw her through a vision or if it was someone else, but he knew of her existence. It made her worry actually; how much he truly knew.

“Oh.” She said at first, not really knowing what else to pull from her mouth. Thankfully the man did not look all that intimidating. Really, Jed looked like a model, but what else was new? Everyone else in Ylisse looked like they were pulled straight from a Vogue magazine, Chrom and Robin included. 

So she did her best to keep her story vague, all the while filling in Jed on what he presumably wanted to know. She made sure to keep everything about the future out of her explanations, even going so far as to just describe the weather of where she was born; no physical landmark descriptions or the name. It’s not like he would know where Texas was in the first place. Before long, she was able to tell him her entire story, ending with how she fell into the crowd with Chrom. That was a little harder to fib. It was more like spinning some sob story trying to make Chrom look better, which he did by the end of it. 

She had “saved some people” from some bandits and those people “ended up being Chrom and his family”. Chrom was so thankful as to what she had done that he begged for her to stay in the castle with his people. He said that “if you treat my people like family, then that’s what you are”. 

She looked like a hero and Chrom looked good for treating her as such. It was a win win for both of them. 

They continued to talk for a little while after that, her finding out that Jed seemed rather kind, until he suddenly stood from his chair; surprising all three of them. “I wish to see how well you have trained her Robin.” Jed said without another word, grabbing her hand and pulling her from the chair. They followed him, confused. That seemed to be the default emotion for them while they were in Valm. 

The four of them rushed down the hallway, attempting to keep up with the rather hyper ruler. It was not what she was expecting from Jed. She thought he would be all calm and introspective. But meeting him was a completely different story. If she were being honest, he seemed like; well he seemed like a child. She twitched as they broke through the main front doors once again, her now without a coat; Chrom and Robin in a similar state. Jed seemed to have no problem with the cold but that was not all that surprising. 

They rushed back down the steps from the large walls and into the courtyard. There were some guards walking about; about 20 in total. They all spotted Jed but did not do much, simply kept an eye on their leader and the people that he was tugging along with him. Perhaps it was not that rare of an occurrence to see Jed act in such a way. Once they were down back in the courtyard, she and Robin were shivering. Chrom seemed a little cold, but better than them.

“Now. I am a mage, I will spar with you.” Jed told her. Her mind wondered to the discussion she had back in Ylisse with Frederick and Sumia; how they explained the more “conservative” values the country had. Fighting a woman sure did not seem conservative; at least not from what she had experienced in the past. But maybe it was because of what Jed believed she was. Maybe he had no qualms about fighting her because of her powers. Either way, she knew little to nothing about his abilities. 

Shaking, she readied herself. Her body felt like it was freezing being still so she moved back and forth on the balls of her feet, waiting and anticipating what he would do next. It took some time before he finally made the first move. She was thankful the treads of her boots were pretty slip resistant because his foot coming up with a gust of fire made her rapidly stumble back. The cold was getting to her and she had to do something about it. So she dodged the flame and counter with a burst of her own, hers coming from a quick punch though. Since she was still in her dress, she had a surprising amount of flexibility to move about. His clothing did not seem much better than hers. Jed actually looked like he was having trouble moving about first. Their battle went on for quite some time. Every once and a while when she looked up, she would spot some of the guards looking at their fight. Robin and Chrom moved to the side by the wall to stay out of the way. The two of them looked…was that nervous? It was hard to tell when Jed kept through icy water and burning flames in her direction. 

“Good! Robin you have taught her well!” She heard him shout towards the Plegian. There was perhaps a response from Robin, but she did not catch it. Jed had spun a large burst of frigid water at her, causing her to sprawl backwards onto her ass. However she was quick to her feet. Shifting them some, ice formed over her boots, rooting her to the ground. He continued to throw more water at her but she was able to move it all out of her range with the arm movements Robin and Tharja taught her.

Alas, it seemed as though she still had much to learn. She had not even noticed Jed forming a large ball of steaming hot water above her. When pointed upwards with a smirk, she paused and looked only to let out a yelp of surprise. It poured down upon her and burned in only a good way for a few moments. Hey, it was freezing outside. During the fighting she had warmed up some but that did not cut the frigid temperature. But once the water doused her; soaking her to the bone, it immediately started to cool her skin; more so than it already was. She started to shake harder than she had before she and Jed started to fight.

“It seems as though I win darling.” Jed said.

And she paused, unsure if she had seen it correctly. Perhaps Robin and Chrom did. When she glanced over her shaking shoulder, they did not seem surprised like she was. 

She could have sworn she saw a smirk so vicious, it looked like Jed was happy about her suffering in the cold. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the short chapter but I have been in a Chrom mood lately haha.

_There was a cool wind, wherever she was. It whipped her hair around and bit at the skin of her face and neck. She looked down, noting she was dressed in the normal Ylissean attire Lissa had gotten for her; a simple tunic, boots, and wool pants. Thankfully that kept the cool air from hurting her too much._

_Slowly she started to look around, finally taking in her surroundings. It was a cave. The walls were natural rocks. Above her were heavy stalactites that almost seemed to be glowing an eerie red color. It was nothing like she had seen in her own world, in her own time. Of course she rarely went into caves; but this was something one would see in a movie or in a cartoon. It cast everything in that light as the power of glow started to grow._

_Across the cavern, from where she was, she saw what seemed to be a table made of stone. It was elevated by a couple of steps; with candles lining the floor around it. As though something was cleaning the fog from her eyes, the other things on the table came into focus._

_Her stomach dropped when she saw the shape of a human male form on the table. Shaking steps took her body closer and closer. Now half way across the room, a wet sound came from the floor below her. At first she just expected it to be the condensation from the cave, but when she looked down, her guess was proven wrong. Blood was pooled on the ground._

_She felt sick. _____ felt like vomiting. There was just so much blood. It was almost ankle deep at this point since the area she was standing in was slightly recessed further into the floor. It seeped through her boots and even the socks; staining her skin red. “What the fuck?” She muttered with a shaky breath._

_Deciding to ignore the blood with great difficulty, she walked forwards until she was able to climb the steps. Her boots left bloody footprints on the stone as she went up. With every step, her vision became clearer and clearer until the person lying on the stone slab was revealed._

_Only after a few moments did she realize the sudden screams she was hearing were hers._

_Lying on the stone slab, blood and more than likely dead, was Chrom. He was bare from the waist up and his chest had strange symbols painted on it in blood. There was some of his own blood dried on his chin and his temple. Chrom’s chest was not moving at all; displaying the grotesque paintings in eerie stillness._

_“Fuck fuck fuck fuck. This can’t be real.” She sobbed into her hand as she stumbled back down the steps. The blood splashed as she walked back into it. In her hurry to get away from the body she actually tripped over her feet and was sent sprawling backwards into the blood. Now it was everywhere. Her clothing, her skin, her face, and her hair; it was all covered in the blood. It made her body burn as though she were allergic to it, but she knew that was not the case. It was something deeper within her._

_“That is the power of Duma and Mila you are feeling.” A deep voice echoed from her side. Her blood stained face whipped around and spotted the figure morphing from the darkness. It was a male body; tall and broad. He was dressed in what looked like ceremonial robes; all reds and oranges and golds. But when she tried to look at his face and see who it was, everything was blurred. It reminded her of when TV shows did not get permission from someone to show their image. “Their blood flows within you. You are the piece I have been missing; the piece to rise the Fell Dragon and destroy Naga, once and for all.” Blood dripped from above her and when she looked up she screamed in terror while the male only laughed._

_Robin, kind and gentle and loving Robin, was strung up above her. His skin was a ghastly pale color, and even though he was losing copious amounts of blood, she just knew his skin tone was not because of that. She saw strange purple markings on his face and hands as more blood dripped from him. She put two and two together and deduced that at least a good amount of the blood she was sitting had come from the white haired male._

_“Poor little birdy Robin. Cursed to hold this power within him until the end of time. They thought they had sealed it away those years ago at the end of the war; but how foolish they had been. One cannot seal a god. They can only put it to sleep; and that is what they did. Now, with you here, the Fell Dragon will rise.”_

”_____ wake up!” Robin’s voice broke her out of the vision and she woke up clinging so tightly to Robin’s hand, she was shocked his bones had not shattered. Her body was drenched in sweat; soaking the sheets and down comforter around her. In the middle of the night she had kicked it all off and it had now morphed around her like some sort of nest. 

Well the wet sensation of the blood in her nightmare made sense now. “What are you doing here?” She was somehow able to finally get out. Robin’s strong hands helped her up into a sitting position, not even minding her state of dress. She was in a silky like nighty, something else Lissa had gifted to her. She could still remember that day she played doll for the older blonde woman.

“I heard you sobbing.” Robin spoke quietly, pushing the sweat soaked hair away from her eyes. They did burn, indicating he was right about her crying. “You were having a nightmare.” The softness of his voice and his words just caused her to fall into his firm chest. Her sweaty hands clung to his night shirt and he perhaps acted on instinct, wrapping her up in his arms. She hiccupped when he pressed his cheek to the crown of her head. “I’ve got you.”

“I did not mean to do it. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Robin could only speculate that she was talking about her dream and he pulled her closer, wrapped her tighter in his arms. “I didn’t mean to.”

”Shh, I’ve got you now.” Robin whispered and pressed a kiss to where his cheek had just been. “You did not hurt me. That was just a dream.” Robin cupped the back of her neck and tilted her crying face up. He pressed gentle kisses on her cheeks, nose, forehead, on her eye lids; but he hesitated over her lips. They had shared that intimate moment on the boat. Over the time she had been in their world, the two of them grew closer and closer, enough to where she would often come to him with her problems. 

Alas it was not him that pushed forwards. His brown eyes slipped closed when she pressed her mouth against his; wrapping her arms around his neck. He had to suppress a shiver when he felt her nearly naked body press against his. Now was not the time. She was obviously hurting. Really, it was not the time to be kissing each other either. So he pulled away, his hands gripping either side of her neck; though not painfully. It was just tight enough for that reassurance, for that grip to indicate he was physically present; there with her. 

”I’m so confused. So lost.” Her words whispered against his lips. “Everything…I’m just… I do not know what to do. I made Chrom mad. I do not want him to be mad at me anymore.” She muttered and tried to lean in to kiss him again but Robin’s hands on her neck gently holding her back stopped her.

“I know it is confusing. Chrom was… Is just doing what he feels is right for his country.” He whispered back to her and decided to kiss the corner of her wet lips. “I am not asking you to forgive him, I’m simply hoping that you will understand where he is coming from.” And she did. It was not like she did not understand he had his priorities. Keeping his friends, his family, and his countrymen safe was near the top of the list, if not the very top. She did not fault him for how he reacted. Perhaps she just wished it had been a little gentler. Then the mixed signals once they got to Valm; her head was spinning.

Instead of answer, she simply curled in closer to Robin’s chest. “Stay here please.” Robin knew it would cause problems if they were found in a bed together, but he could not refuse her. His chest tightened when he thought of getting up and walking away. So instead he moved so he was lying down on the large bed. She tucked herself into his chest and sighed as he wrapped his arms around her; pulling up the blankets as well. Just because she had been sweating from the nightmare did not mean it was not frigid in the castle. Valm was headed into the winter months and this far north, it only exacerbated that. 

“I’ve got you.” Robin muttered to her as sleep over took both of them.

~’~

Chrom was far more adjusted to the winter chill then most. Ylisse got its fair share of snow and he spent almost all of his time outdoors; even as Exalt. Therefore he was not all that surprised when he was one of the few not dressed as though they were about to march through Regna Ferox in the dead of winter. He snorted, standing in the grand hallway and watching as the other members of his party came down from their temporary rooms. Vaike was the first; wrapped in such a thick layer of fur it barely looked like the renowned fighter. Slowly the others followed; with _____ and Robin tailing at the very end. He frowned at that, watching the two speak quietly with one another. While they were dressed heavier than most, they did not look uncomfortable walking so closely to one another. She was actually smiling warmly up at Robin who was mirroring her expression; staring back down at her.

“I see that all of your people have arrived.” Jed’s sudden appearance behind Chrom actually had the Exalt jumping as though he were 19 again. Everyone stared at the newcomer. “I was thinking we could go shopping today.” Jed’s voice was bubbly as he clapped his hands in front of his body.

“Shopping.” Chrom was incredulous and rather suspicious of the other ruler. But he waited, letting the man explain.

“Why yes! Perhaps more so for the woman in your group, but it is tradition that the ruler, that being me, provides attire for the gathering. I know you men will want to dress yourselves,” The movement of Jed’s eyes were so fast that Chrom almost did not catch them. But he spotted the quick shuffle in the other direction.

In ____’s direction.

Chrom felt a sense of possessiveness and protectiveness wash over him. Other emoitons hit him too but he was so exhausted from everything he did not want to think about the negative ones. Alas, he knew better. He knew better than to start something with an ally that was tenuous at best. If Jed had ulterior motives, he could only react when the time came. All he could do now was stay cautious and hope that she and Robin both spotted the difference in Jed’s aura as well.

“That sounds fabulous! Doesn’t it?” Thank Naga for Lissa, Chrom thought to himself. He would not trust his words if he spoke. “How about the rest of the men go hunting! Or perhaps drinking. What do you think you would like to do Robin?” She really was a god send. They all now turned to the Plegian who blinked before shrugging his shoulders with a smile.

“I could always go for a good drink.” She still was tucked right into his side but now Chrom saw it differently. Whether or not they noticed Jed’s line of sight, he did not mind. She was with Robin and then would be off with Lissa and the other woman, leaving him to deal with Jed.

“Perfect! I’ll have my advisor show you gentlemen to the drawing room and I will take these ladies out!”

“Wait what?” It was the first thing that Chrom, the “dignified” Exalt of Ylisse, said that morning. Jed glanced in his direction with a tickled looking grin.

“But of course. As I said it is tradition for the leader to supply attire. It is only right that I go with these ladies. And while the capital city is more than safe, I do not want to take any chances with such valuable individuals.” 

There was no room for argument. Chrom bit back a rejection of the idea as Robin switched places with Lissa. His sister wrapped her arms around _____ who thankfully smiled back at the older woman.

That did not calm the sick feeling in Chrom’s stomach.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is the dress in this chapter: 
> 
> https://www.pinterest.com/pin/298574650288562958/

When Robin sat down next to Chrom, he could already tell that the other man was angry and annoyed and every other word that could describe someone that was upset. He’s known Chrom for over a decade so if anyone were to realize if Chrom was angry or not, it would be him. 

“This rum is good.” Robin spoke softly into the tumbler in his hand. Not that he even liked rum; it was Chrom’s favorite drink. And really he only drank when he was upset. But Robin wanted to cheer the man up. Talking about something Chrom liked would make sense, right? Robin still had trouble relating to other people, even after all this time. None the less he would try. He would always try his hardest when it came to Chrom. The man saved Robin from himself; now Robin would do anything for him.

Chrom just hummed into his drink, thanking Stahl as the man handed the Exalt a cigar. Robin thanked Stahl when he got one as well. It was just a pain in the ass considering Robin’s lungs sucked shit. Never the less he partook in the two items, watching Chrom like a hawk while a few other Valmese men walked in. 

“It is good.” The Exalt finally said, though he did not crack a smile while doing so. Hell, he looked even more upset about it; like the fact they had good rum could somehow make the situation worse. 

It was just painful, knowing that someone you cared so deeply and truly about, like how Robin cared for Chrom, was in pain. So propriety of Valm be damned. Robin leaned over and put up a hand so his mouth was covered as he whispered closely to Chrom. If he moved any closer in face, he would be kissing Chrom’s ear. “Are you upset with me?” Maybe it was selfish that it was the first thing he asked about; maybe. But he was concerned about it. 

Chrom glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before shaking his head. Well that was a weight off of Robin’s chest. He would get to the bottom of it though. “Are you…Are you mad at _____?” Once again, Chrom glanced at him. This time his pause was longer, waiting or perhaps wondering. Before too long, he shook his head and Robin let out another breath he had been holding. He narrowed down the two of the biggest factors in Chrom’s life right now. Well two of the many. 

The idea popped into Robin’s head when Stahl spoke to one of Jed’s generals. He leaned in closer, his lips actually brushing against Chrom’s skin this time. Chrom felt warm, like heat was radiating off of him; though Robin was sure it was from the Rum. The Exalt’s glass was empty and he was having the drawing room butler fill up his glass once again. “Are you upset with Lord Jed?” 

How Chrom paused told Robin everything.

Bingo, he thought to himself before leaning away a bit. Chrom finally turned his head fully, staring at Robin so thoroughly it had the white haired male flushing some. Chrom’s eyes could do that to him. Even after all this time they had spent together, the Plegian was weak to the Exalt of Ylisse. 

Oh well. At least he got his answer. “It’s alright. I understand.” While Robin did not really mind Jed going with the women to get outfits for the ball, he could understand where Chrom was coming from. The Exalt had a responsibility to his country; but he also had a responsibility to his heart. The relationship between Robin, Chrom, and _____ had grown closer since she arrived in their world. Seeing another ruler pull her off to do something so potentially intimate as dress shopping was understandably painful.

Hell, Robin was not all that pleased. Chrom had grown and become more level headed over the years, but Robin was still the diplomat. Frederick and he were. So Robin could not lose his head as much as he wanted to. He would let Chrom drink himself into a tizzy and then make up an excuse for it later. That’s the role that Robin took on and he would gladly play it for the rest of his days if it meant Chrom would succeed and be happy. 

So they continued to drink. Well, Chrom continued to drink. Robin watched on, carefully taking in and noting everything that Chrom said. He had to make sure so he knew what to apologize for later. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too much.

To both Chrom’s and Robin’s surprise, well to everyone’s surprise, a few hours later Jed walked through the door. He was quiet, a soft smile on his uniquely handsome face. Both men stared until Jed glanced at them and walked over, taking the empty seat beside Chrom. 

“So how did it go?” Robin asked, knowing that Chrom was trying to form his words around the drunk cotton his tongue had become. However, Jed just smirked and raised a finger to his lips, making a hushing motion. Robin knew it took everything out of Chrom to not start swinging fists.

~’~

Honestly she could admit she was surprised when Jed really did go into the dress shop with Lissa, herself, Sully, and Maribelle. From all the commotion of how “conservative” this nation was, _____ found it odd how Jed was acting. She actually wanted to talk to Robin or Lissa about it, but the ruler was hovering over her so often she never got the chance to; at least not then. Perhaps she would later when they got back to the castle. Now she had to dress shop, she had to play the part.

It seemed foolish on her part perhaps, but she really did want to get back on good grounds with Chrom. Everything had been so quickly up and down in the past couple of days. It had been unnervingly confusing for her. That did not deter her though. She knew the friendship she created with Chrom was real. She knew that she could mend whatever in the world went down between them. 

If that meant playing along and not ruining the relationship between these two nations, then so be it. _____ could play nice for a couple of hours. 

Their group walked in and were immediately taken to a private back room. It was large with one elevated area in front of a corner of mirrors. The set up was not that different to many clothing stores in her time. There was also a large cushioned bench that people could sit on; another similar feature to her time. 

All in all, the little seamstress cottage was nice to a fault. There were more cozy accoutrements than anything else. _____ felt slightly out of place as Jed sat down, not moving while watching the rest of them. Thankfully they did not have to wait long for a seamstress walked in. She was older with snowy white hair and paper thin skin. Though she looked wise about what she was doing. 

To _____’s relief, nothing too out of the ordinary happened. She could still not get out of her head the way Jed looked after their little sparring match. There was no way she mistook that expression he had been wearing. It had been so real; far too genuine. And really, there was just something unsettling about Jed. Whether it was his general aura or what, she did not know. It made her stomach twist, and not in the way Robin makes her stomach twist. This was…this was sickening. The fact Jed was sitting and watching her try on a dress the entire time did not help much. It made her skin crawl.

Finally it was coming to a close. When she decided on a dress she had to actually suppress the blush that was threatening to cover her cheeks. It was a beautiful gown, she would not deny that. By far it was the nicest piece of clothing she had ever worn. The off the shoulder quarter length sleeves were not too tight nor too loose. White lace covered the ball gown from the tip of the frills that brushed her collar bone to the long train behind her. She couldn’t help it but it looked like a…

“Wedding dress.” She whispered to herself as she stood in front of the large set of mirrors. Everyone was finished getting outfitted and she was the only one left. A part of her knew Jed set it up that way so she could be stared at by everyone. If you asked for proof on that claim, all she would be able to give you is a gut feeling. A gut feeling, but a solid one at that. 

Her words seemed to have caught the attention of Lissa and Jed because they both came forwards. Lissa was on her left while Jed stood behind her on her right. “What?” Lissa asked while grabbing her white lace covered elbow. _____ looked over at her before glancing back at the reflection.

“Where I’m from, it is most common for brides to wear white. This just…this just reminds me of a wedding dress.” It was an embarrassing sentence to finish but she finished it none the less. Lissa’s head tilted to the side and Jed’s face started to form into a smile, staring at her and taking in her form. It was in fact one of the dresses Jed had suggested so that only made it more, well more intimately weird. She hated the fact he seemed to stare straight into her soul. 

“Well that is interesting. In Ylisse, wedding gowns are often earth toned. That or jewel like colors. There are a lot of woman that get married in deep blue dresses.” Lissa said before continuing. “That and the skirts are not as wide.” She finished by patting either side of her hips, pushing the white lace down for a second before it popped right back up. “Though I wonder as to what the wedding traditions are like here?” That question was aimed at Jed through the reflection of the mirror. Now all the women were staring at the ruler since he was technically the only one in the room that would know what weddings were like in his country. 

He hummed under his breath before placing his hands on _____’s shoulders, inspecting her in the mirror but not really looking at her. “I have to wonder.”

Of course he would be vague like that.

~’~

The rare clear winter day, as Jed explained on their way back, was just having the sun set as she entered her temporary room. The servants had already placed her dress down on the couch that was facing the fire place so it would not wrinkle, considering the room she was staying in did not have a closet to hang said article of clothing. Not that she minded. Here, this room was no meeting place. It was just somewhere she slept. Either way, the day was finally coming to a close and all she wanted to do was sleep. _____ had forgotten how much she disliked shopping. It was exhausting. 

Though it was a bummer that she could not see any of the others. The entire day she had been missing Robin. Not that she had not been thinking of things. In fact, the dresses had been the furthest thing from her mind. That was why she let Jed and the others dress her. 

She had been thinking about Chrom the whole day; as pathetic as that sounded to herself. 

Falling into this foreign world had restarted her life. Completely from scratch at that. Here, whether that was in Ylisse or in Valm, she knew no one. She had no one. 

Except for Chrom and Robin. Well, except for them and the Shepherds, but those two had taken her in when no one else believed her. _____ could still remember the harsh looks Frederick would give her. Of course he had gotten better over the few months, but one did not forget such a vicious expression. He truly believed that she was going to bring misfortune to Chrom and his family.

But Chrom never believed such a thing; not until that letter. Maybe that was why she was partially suspicious of Jed. He was the reason behind her spat with Chrom. If he had just not mentioned her by name then none of this would have happened. There had to be an explanation for it. He had to have witches and mages on his side; powerful ones at that. He had to have some sort of seer with him. 

A loud banging had her spinning around in a jump. Luckily she had just finished putting on her sleeping gown so she could walk over to the door. Shrugging on the soft winter robe that Lissa had bought her that day, _____ called out that she would be right there before opening the door. To her utter shock, Chrom was standing there; still dressed in his day clothing. She looked him up and down, noting that he even still had Falchion strapped to his side. The only thing missing was the large fur cape that he had at the start of the day when they all met in the grand hall. 

For a moment, she wanted to shut the door on his face. It was just that subliminal first reaction from their fight they were still in. But she stopped herself. Instead, she let him in, watching as he walked past her. 

There was something…something off. Even when she opened the door he had not even looked her in the eye. 

When Chrom stumbled forwards and caught himself on one of the corners of her bed, she realized what it was. “Chrom… are you drunk?” His hair was a mess as he glanced over at her. Not even having to say anything, he answered her question when he practically tripped into her bed, somehow pushing himself up so he could sit on the edge. Slowly she approached, watching his tired looking face. Those usually bright eyes were closed, like even the dim candle light in her room was too much for him to bare. 

“May I ask what you drank?” Because she knew some about that. Her adoptive father, before she went off to college, gave her a crash course in what alcohol to avoid and how to properly drink without getting a seriously bad hangover. 

It took, what, five minutes or so before Chrom finally spoke. “They had Chron’sin rum.” Ah. Yeah. Rum was pretty strong. 

“Was that the only drink you had?” Hopefully she did not sound too pushy and nosy. 

It took another couple of minutes, with Chrom swaying a bit, occasionally bumping into her. “Just rumed.” His words slurred together a bit though she got the gist of what he said. Thankfully he had stuck with one drink for however long he had been drinking. That meant his hangover would not be too severe; thankfully. 

She watched him, his blood shot eyes staring at his hands that were placed surprisingly neatly in his lap. The moments of silence continued to the point of it being awkward. Of course she wanted to speak, to break the silence and the tension between the two of them, but what could she say? What could she put into words? It wasn’t, it wasn’t as though she were the reason for the situation the two of them were in. She had just been minding her own business and he had freaked out.

Yet again Chrom was surprising her out of her wondering thoughts. This time though, it was not the sound of knocking at the door. _____’s head whipped towards him at the sound of sniffling, at the sound of crying. Tears dripped from his drunken blood shot eyes, obviously unable to control his emotions when he was as drunk as he was. Chrom’s hands covered his eyes as he legitimately began to sob. She had no idea what to do; unable to move as he continued to cry right next to her. 

What shocked her even more was when he suddenly fell to the side, tucking his face against her thighs. Chrom’s tears tracked over the bridge of his nose, pooling against the fabric on her leg.

“I…” _____ felt like a fool when that was all her mouth could form. She felt as drunk as Chrom actually was. 

“I’m such a failure.” Chrom finally said in a fully formed sentence. The out of left field sentence floated in the air. “I’m such a disappointment to Lucina. I know I am.” Well that answered the question she was about to ask. “And I feel like such a fool, thinking about this again after all this time. My sister Emmeryn could easily handle all of this political squandering; far better than I can. She sacrificed herself so that I and my sister could live. She sacrificed herself so I wouldn’t have to make the decision to sacrifice her on my own terms. I was such a coward and I still am.”

_____ felt the burn in the back of her eyes. Chrom had never spoken of his older sister in such a way. She knew that Emmeryn had died before she got to their world, but she never knew how. It made her stomach twist in misery, knowing that Chrom and Lissa had to go through such an ordeal. 

So as carefully as she could, she spoke again; making sure to watch Chrom’s expression and not tread to far on unspeakable grounds. “What, um, what brought this all on?” God she sounded like an idiot. If Chrom’s crying form was anywhere but on her lap, she would have slapped herself silly. 

He took a deep breath before pushing her back some so he could fully lay better on her lap. Chrom turned, resting on his back and then throwing an arm over his eyes; obviously ashamed that he was crying still. “Lucina never knew her mother.” 

_____’s blood ran cold. This was getting way too personal way too fast. “She was a woman from town who had a healthy family history. She was no warrior but she could fight, she could protect herself. I was being pressured to have an heir. I already knew that I was going to have Lucina at some point in my life; but… I don’t know, I just was so confused. Lucina’s mother died in child birth; so I had to take on the role of mother and father. Of course the Exalt’s family has always had wet nurses but I don’t know; I just thought that perhaps this time it could be different. I thought perhaps for once I could provide for her. But I failed at that like I fail at everything else. How could Lucina ever want someone like me as her father?” He was sobbing again, his hands covering his face as he cried. 

She was at a loss for words. This was like nothing she had ever dealt with. Though perhaps she could offer some sort of words of comfort. “I, um,” _____ paused, brushing her fingers through Chrom’s soft hair. He still cried but she did not stop. “I never knew my real father. He died when I was very young. Though I had an adoptive father. I don’t think my adopted parents really knew what they were getting into when they adopted me. They had a lot of trouble at first and I know that he tried his hardest when he was taking on the role of “father”.” Chrom’s crying slowed, though he still had an arm thrown over his face. “I’ve seen you interact with not only Lucina, but Morgan and the other kids over these past few months. I’ve seen how courageous and kind hearted you are. I’ve seen how strong and loving you are.” _____ gently took his arm and pulled it away so he could look at her. Now she was tearful, though she was trying her hardest to keep the tears at bay. “I think that Lucina is perhaps the luckiest kid in the world.”

Chrom’s mouth opened in what could only be registered as shock. He stared and stared and stared before a tiny pitiful smile took shape. Slowly, still drunk, he pushed himself up and rubbed at his eyes. “I’m sorry. That was such a pitiful display.”

“It’s fine.” _____ said, standing and turning away to wipe at her own eyes. He stood as well and started towards the door. When he opened it, she was standing there right behind him. There was a brief moment where he paused, turning around to face her. Dressed in the semi-formal clothing he was wearing, he looked almost twice her size; even with her being as tall and muscular as she was. Maybe that’s what prompted him to reach out, hesitant at first before taking her chin in his hand. He brushed her bottom lip with his thumb.

“Thank you. Thank you for listening to the drunken ramblings of a sad man.” There was nothing more that she could do than shrug as he nodded and turned away.

Perhaps what hurt the most was knowing that he would remember none of it in the morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we see who Lucina's mother is. Anti-climatic I know. But we still don't know who Morgan's mother is.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love my husband Chrom.
> 
> And hint for the coming chapters, it has to do with a winged creature that favors women.

Before long, the day of the ball was upon them. The castle was covered in snow, but the servants that worked for the royal family were busy shoveling all the snow from the road that led up to the front entrance. She watched from the window of her current room since she had just woken but; but they were already busy at work. It truly was incredible, seeing people in this “era” work. Of course there were now snow plows, that much was obvious. So they were already working up a sweat. The snow had to be quite heavy from their expressions. She was rather entranced with watching, so much so that she did not even notice someone walking into her room. She did not notice until a hand was placed on her shoulder. 

Her first and immediate reaction was to defend. It was a man’s hand, judging by the size, callouses, and the weight. Of course woman could attack her from behind as well but men were more often than not, much larger than her in size. That, and from her experiences in her own time, they were hard to trust. So she reached up and grabbed the wrist attached to the hand and yanked the weight of the person towards the wall beside the window sill she was seated on. The weight of the body had her following but she did not mind that. If she could pin her attack than she could call for help. When her hand slammed the wrist in her hold against the stone wall, she was finally able to see her attacker face to face.

Which had her jumping back in shock.

“Lord Avraham!” _____ had to cover her mouth in attempt to tamp down the loud shout she just let out. But the male in front of her did not look angry. If anything he looked rather mischievous. That white hair indicated an age he obviously wasn’t; though the youthful face almost made it work.

Putting his hands up, he stepped away from the wall, but did not come any closer which she was thankful for. She was still in her thin night gown after all. It had been so hot underneath all the fur and the blankest the night before that she just had to cool down by the window; especially after the rather erotic dream she had. Yet she just could not place the partner in the dream. The only thing she could tell was that it was a male.

“I am so sorry.” She gasped out. For a moment she wanted to move forwards and check the other person for injuries, but she stopped herself. Don’t do it you idiot, you are barely dressed.

Jed just shrugged, walking over to the window and sitting where she had just been. He was facing her though, arms crossed and knees bent just a touch. “Oh it is fine darling. I know that I snuck up on you. That was rather rude of me especially this early in the morning.” She held her tongue, not outwardly agreeing with him; though she really wanted to. “I simply wanted to check up on you, see if you needed any help with dressing for tonight.”

Oh yeah. The ball. And she did need to get dressed. “No. It is fine, thank you for checking up on me though.” Both of them looked over at the dress. The white fabric looked rather similar to the snow outside the window. But she knew this would be warm, the inside of the dress a particular fabric specific to Northern Valm. “Lady Lissa said she was going to come to my room to get ready; so of course she can help me as well.” Jed’s eyes on her form made her body shiver in a way vastly different than Chrom’s gaze or Robin’s gaze did. 

The king sat there for a few more moments before finally standing, brushing off invisible dust from his pants. Walking past her, he slowed to a stop. That same hand that had just scared the shit out of her dropped to her shoulder once again. The taller male leaned down and _____ almost jerked back when his lips pressed to her jaw. “Then I will see you later tonight darling. I have some final preparations to complete.” 

And with that, he was suddenly gone, leaving the door open and _____ standing there in dizzy confusion. “What the hell?” Was all she could get out before returning to the window sill. Though she did not sit down this time. Instead she just stared out the window. It was quiet. The sounds of the people still shoveling were muffled against the snow. 

“Geez.”

~’~

Before long, Lissa had made her way up to _____’s room, dress in hand. Sully, Maribelle, and Cordelia were all getting dressed together for some reason or another, Lissa had not been very specific upon explaining. Not that she minded. She had not spent much time with Lissa since she got to Ylisse all those months ago. Most of the time _____ had spent there had been with Tharja, Robin, and until recently Chrom.

Realistically, she was sort of uncomfortable being with Lissa now. She was Chrom’s sister and she suspected they spoke often considering they were each other’s only living relatives, aside from their children. It was not like Lissa could go up to her Owain or Lucina and talk about Chrom’s life. 

Just grow up you fool, she thought to herself as Lissa helped pull the giant white dress over her head. Even with a nights worth of sleep behind her, it still looked like a wedding dress and she still believed Jed had other intentions upon choosing this one out for her. But she could not think about that right now. “My goodness this just looks stunning on you _____.” Lissa said as she laced up the back. Lissa herself had already gotten into her dress. It was a stunning blue gown. The body looked similar to ____’s but was more bejeweled than hers. 

Lissa was finishing lacing up the back when she caught sight of _____’s face in the mirror. Her lips were turned down in a similar fashion to her eyes. “What is wrong _____?” 

Her name had her glancing up through her eyelashes. The older woman had this intent look on her face, enough to get _____ to spill. “I’m thinking about Chrom.” _____ said, throwing her hands up in exasperation while walking away from Lissa. She stood by the window, crossing her arms over her chest. Now the room had a chill to it considering the erotic dream she had worn off hours ago. Now she could feel her skin tighten with the cold cutting through the air. 

“Is this about what he said before we left Ylisse?” Honestly, _____ was almost getting tired of this royal family. Of course Lissa would know about the comings and goings of the country. She was next in line to be the ruler; but still. 

_____ blinked and nodded. “Yes. I just…” I just what? What was she even feeling anymore? She was still furious that he did not trust her, but now she was looking back on it. Of course he would be cautious. “I just want him to apologize.”

There. Now it was out in the air. If Lissa wanted to run back to her older brother and tell him about this conversation, then so be it. She would finally get what she wanted and they could finally get over the tenseness between the two of them. 

Lissa slowly walked up to her, the heels clicking against the tile on the floor. “I understand your feelings. Chrom can be so dense sometimes, even after all these years.” 

“What?” _____ had to turn at that. Lissa was not siding with her brother? “Why are you saying this?”

The blonde just smiled and it was shocking how similar the two siblings really looked. If Lissa was her type, it would have _____ blushing. “Because he has pissed me off like this in the past and I did not have someone there with me.” Lissa turned and walked over to the couch where she had dropped her dress earlier. Now she pulled a large white fur cloak with her. She came face to face with _____ before wrapping it around her shoulders. “And it is fun to watch Chrom spoil someone. He got this for you.” 

_____ was speechless, beyond speechless; whatever that would be. Breathless? Sure. She was breathless as she felt the silky fur against her neck. The chill in the air was cut immediately. Yet Lissa was not finished. The blonde quickly rushed back to the couch and grabbed something else. _____ had no idea what it was until it was pulled from behind Lissa’s back and she placed it on her head. “And Robin’s fun to watch pine as well.” 

The tiara was stunning. It matched perfectly with her gown and she couldn’t help but turn back to the mirror. “They bought…they bought this stuff for me?” _____ said in a whisper. Lissa was behind her, nodding with this giant smile. 

“Yes. Now come. The ball is about to begin.”

~’~

It seemed as though the similarities between Anastasia and her life had not ended at the boat. _____ walked down the giant steps with Lissa by her side. Beyond the ornate doors, she could hear hundreds of people speaking with one another. The music was quiet, but there as well. “Are you ready? Everyone is already inside.” Lissa was beside her, snaking her arm into hers. _____ stared ahead at the guards beside the door. Or were they guards? They had swords at their sides, but they were standing there as though they were just to open the doors. Either way, she nodded and walked with Lissa. The two allowed the guard butlers to open the doors and her breath was taken from her.

Gods above it was stunning.

Giant windows lined either side of the ballroom that could be opened if the weather was nicer; though it gave a beautiful view into the wintery night. Large paintings of what _____ assumed were the previous rulers were hung above the windows near the top of the towering walls. Everything was lined in gold plating and the ceiling was painted in a stunning fresco, or some form of a fresco. All the people dressed in fine clothing and jewels and across the sea of chattering individuals, _____ could see stairs that led up to where the current ruler of Valm sat. Jed was dressed in all black; though the accents of his outfit were gold.

And then her eyes zeroed in on the people standing next to him. 

Robin and Chrom were beyond handsome. Chrom had on a wintery version of the outfit he wore during the festival in Ylisse. Much of it was fur trimmed, including the large cape cloak he had pinned over his shoulders; Falchion by his side like usual.

Robin’s outfit was not too far off from what he often wore, but it was just played up like crazy. Like the rest of the room, gold trims and pieces had been added to his coat, but Robin worked it much better. Like Chrom, Robin’s hood was trimmed in white fur that matched his silky soft hair. “Come.” Lissa pulled her across the ballroom floor. It was a bit of a struggle to get through but when they did, their party spotted them. Maribelle nearly jumped on Lissa and _____ spotted the others dancing to the soft music. 

Though that was not what she was interested in. Picking up her skirt, she walked up the steps to Robin and Chrom. It seemed as though Jed had noticed her arrival for he stood and walked over to the three of them.

“You look absolutely breath taking darling.” Jed complimented her. 

“I must agree with you your highness.” Robin said with a smile, his pale cheeks slightly flushed as he took in her form. 

She turned to Chrom, not expecting him to say anything. It wasn’t like she fishing for compliments form him. But his silence was a little confusing.

That is until she spotted his face. He had a hand covering his mouth as he stared at her. Like Robin, he had a flush on his cheeks. Unlike Robin, it reached all over his face. If she were to guess, he was blushing down his chest as well. 

Jed had not noticed, though Robin did with a sly smile. “Come. We must dance.” Jed said, not taking no for an answer as he guided her away down the steps. She could not help but smile over her shoulder at Chrom. Lissa was right. Somethings had not changed over time. That was a reaction _____ expected Chrom would make as a young man.

Jed was an astounding dancer, not that she thought he would not be. Royalty was trained in that sort of stuff, right? He guided her across the dance floor to the soothing music. It was easy to dance with him; though her mind was elsewhere. When the two of them slowed to a stop in time with the music, a familiar hand tapped Jed on the shoulder.

“I apologize, but may I steal your dance partner away?” Chrom asked. She and Jed had made their way back to the stair case where Robin and Chrom had still been standing and the ruler of Ylisse saw his opening.

Not wanting to be rude, Jed respectfully bowed and moved away from the two; and Chrom took Jed’s place. 

There was an awkward quiet between the two of them while the next song stared up; and she could not help but smile. Of course.

Maybe there were similarities between the two “universes” she had been in. That tune. It was the exact instrumental version of Once Upon a December. Yet now she was dancing with Chrom.

His large hand wrapped around her waist while they got into place with the rest of their bodies. Unlike Jed, _____ was far more comfortable getting closer; close enough that her and Chrom’s chest were pressed against one another. 

Chrom’s dancing, while not as good as Jed’s, was still incredible. It felt natural, less forced and trained. “Why are you smiling?” She heard Chrom ask, prompting her to look up at his face. There was a sort of solemn look there, one that she felt a twinge of guilt at. 

“I simply enjoy this music.” She answered and felt Chrom tense up some. _____ sighed silently. “And I enjoy your dancing.”

There. His chest relaxed against hers as they danced closer to a secluded corner. “I enjoy your company as well.” _____ added on. Chrom’s hand tightened on her waist, tugging her closer; not that there was much more distance he could cover.

Either way, she could tell the song was almost over, and it seemed as though Chrom could sense it as well. “_____. I want to apologize for what I said that day.” She could not help but hide her face in his chest. There was a possibility that Lissa spoke with Chrom. But she had been so adamantly on her side, it just did not seem like a possibility the two siblings talked while she was dancing with Jed. So this was Chrom simply apologizing to her. “You must understand. I was simply looking out for my country, for my family.”

“That doesn’t make up for what you said and did to me though.” The song was slowly ending, only a violin playing slowly. “That still hurt.”

“I know.”

“I do not accept your apology yet. But I want to thank you for it.” She could feel Chrom nod, his chin brushing against the side of her face. 

Finally the music stopped. They were tucked away behind a group of people, right beside the door that lead out onto the patio. In their position, no one could really see them, not unless they were actively looking. That seemed to spark something in Chrom’s mind, and perhaps her mind as well.

“May I…” Chrom paused, looking over his shoulder before turning back towards her; apparently deeming it safe enough for him to finish his question. “May I kiss you?”

_____ felt her stomach drop out from beneath her.

That was the absolute last thing she had expected to come out of Chrom’s mouth. Their faces were close enough that if she had been more in the moment she would have realized where his mind was. 

His hand reached up and cupped the side of her face, brushing away the few fly aways that had come loose from her hairdo. His thumb brushed against her lip like it had the other night; those memories coming rushing back to her. Before she realized what was happening, before she could stop the noises slipping from her mouth, _____ answered.

“Yes.” And his lips were on hers. The kiss was light, though she could tell he could kiss much deeper than that. He was pressing his lips so gently against hers because of the time and the place. Anyone could turn and look and she understood his reasoning. Yet it left her wanting more, especially because as he pulled away, he bit lightly at her lower lip; causing the soft skin to take on a red hue. 

Chrom’s and _____’s breath mingled together. She knew he was going to move in to kiss her again, yet a shout and a scream caused both to turn back towards the center of the room. Both pushed through the crowd and came upon a startling image.

An assassin had Jed held up. The king stood a bit away from the killer and behind Jed, Chrom and _____ could see the rest of their crew looking angry they had not caught this before. Jed’s guards were pushing through the crowd but at this point, they would be close to useless.

“Your life ends here tonight Jed Avraham.” Gasps rocketed around the room. No one addressed the Valmese king in such a manner. 

Yet Jed looked calm; bored almost. It gave _____ a sick filling in the pit of her stomach that she wished would vanish. Chrom’s kiss had been so beautiful and now it was ruined. 

One step and another, Jed walked towards the assassin which had the man looking utterly confused. “What do you think you are doing?” _____ moved forwards which Chrom followed after her. Both were getting closer as well, ready to move into battle at a drop of a hat. If Jed needed them, they would move to battle. 

“You really should have tried harder.” Before the assassin could even demand what Jed meant, the white haired king moved. It was so fast barely anyone could catch the sight before Jed had the sword in his hand and the assassin on the floor underfoot. His thick black boot was centered on the man’s chest and without another second to waste, the sword swung down. 

Aristocratic woman groaned in despair and their husbands and fathers grabbed them to shield them from the sight.

Jed was stabbing the man. Repeatedly in the chest. Again and again and again; the blood splattered everywhere, even on _____’s dress. She herself jumped in shock since the force of Jed’s blows had the blood even reaching her face. 

Chrom gripped her and shielded her some, though allowed her the dignity to watch if she wanted to. 

“Foolish man.” Jed’s voice was flat as he finally finished. The room grew silent as the king turned, his eyes landing on Chrom who had _____ tucked into his side. “Foolish man.”

And this time, Chrom felt the chill _____ had only experienced this far. Jed was wearing a mask around them and it was going to fall off sooner rather than later. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I summoned the new version of Chrom and my husband is so freaking handsome I'm gonna cry?! And I summoned Grima!Robin and just?! My husbands?!

Not waiting for the dancing and festivities to end, Chrom grabbed her and Robin and pulled the two of them out of the room. Their footsteps sounded blaringly loud as they made their way down the empty hallways. She wanted to ask Chrom what he was doing, where they were going; but it did not seem like an appropriate time. During the months she had been in Ylisse with all of them, there had only been a few times she saw Chrom genuinely focused. Whether that was because Ylisse was in a time of peace or what, she was not sure. However she could tell this was one of those times. However she was unsure as to why she was being dragged along. One of the times they passed a torch, she glanced over at Robin. His eyes were narrowed at the back of Chrom’s head; not in anger though. Well, maybe sympathetic anger; feeling Chrom’s emotions and expressing them in a similar way. The two of them were that close, at least from what she heard from everyone and experienced firsthand. A large part of her still expected the two of them to be lovers but she could not confirm said suspicion off hand. That question was not exactly polite conversation, even with how close she had grown to the two men. 

Unsurprisingly, they ended up in one of their temporary quarters which she suspects is Chrom’s considering the royal Ylissian regalia sitting on a chaise similar to the one in her room. He does not pull the Falchion off his person but he does take off his crown. Robin doesn’t take off his robe either. Instead he sits down on the bed, pulling her to sit down beside him. With a quick flick of her wrist, she sends a ball of fire into the hearth and the warmth spreads throughout the room. Whatever she was doing with the two of them, she was going to be warm. The large fir cloak and the dress kept her warm just to a point. Though Robin wrapping an arm around her shoulder and taking a hold of her hand in his helped. All the while the two of them watched as Chrom stormed back and forth. His moving form cast a large shadow on the other side of the room; with only the light of the moon to compete with him. It would have been considered enchanting if not for the terror she felt in the pit of her stomach. 

What they had just witnessed… Blood was still on her dress which she knew she would see for the rest of her life. Robin’s arm moved around her waist and pulled her tightly to his chest, never letting go of her hand which he was forever thankful for. Chrom did not look upset about it. If anything he barely even noticed the two of them clinging to one another on the bed. Of course a part of her felt relatively foolish for being so upset about blood and a dead body. The two of them had fought in a war and killed people; killed hundreds of people. One dead body would be nothing for them. Though they were kind enough to not make fun of or poke at her situation. 

“This is a problem.” Chrom spoke finally. He had stopped, staring at the fire crackling. Well it was good that they were establishing the situation, that they all saw the same thing. It was kind of odd to her though. This was pretty much the medieval age, meaning it should have been normal that kings and queens killed people. Yet they seemed as upset as her. Though she was not complaining about that. Robin pressed a kiss to her head before answering Chrom. The Exalt turned and she was worried he would be mad about her and Robin’s position; especially now that he was paying attention to the two of them so closely, but yet again he didn’t seem bothered by it in the slightest. She would have to look further into that later. Right now there were bigger things to worry about. 

“I agree. The None Violence Pact we had everyone sign after the war should have prevented anything like this. Capital punishment has been illegal for years; even in Valm.” Well that was interesting and quite unexpected. Capital punishment being illegal. So they had set up some form of “United Nations” to oversee such a thing. She assumed it was these two that had set it up. Both didn’t look like people who enjoyed and reveled in violence how Jed just did. Since their party had arrived in this cold land, she had been seeing flashes and bits of this Jed, what she quickly realized was the real Jed. The whole time she thought she had been just imagining it; that the cold weather had been playing with her head. Yet now she knew she had been right, that Jed was dangerous. 

“Yeah.” Chrom trailed off, not looking away from Robin. There was something that passed between the two of them that she could not share in. It had her wishing though, that she could read what it meant. Then Chrom was turning, pacing again. “We are going to need to leave. We have to think of an excuse. I want everyone ready by tomorrow night because we will be shipping out the morning after that.” Chrom explained, commanding the attention of both her and Robin. They were nodding at his commands as though they were sending out an alert to everyone from their group; though that obviously wasn’t what they were doing. Chrom just had a way of grabbing people.

And then it hit her. This situation was a lot more serious then she was realizing. Her breath caught in her throat and she spotted the blood splatters on her dress; stark even in the darkness of the room. Her eyes felt blurry as she grabbed at her throat. Of course wars were a reality in her time. Yet she had been lucky enough to live in a country where she had not seen such atrocities. Hell, Jed killing that man had been the first time she had ever seen a murdered body in person. Her head was pounding. This whole thing could end up in a war if they did not play it carefully. 

_____’s eyes watered as she tucked her head between her knees, Chrom and Robin’s voice somewhere outside of her body; outside of the realm she was currently in. How stupid had she been? All those months, she had forgot that she wasn’t meant to be in this reality. This time was not where she belonged; and they were supposed to be searching for a way to send her back to her own world. Yet she gave up on that. Somewhere right beneath the surface she could admit that she gave up on her time; and it seemed as though Robin and Chrom gave up on it as well, and they just never talked about it through a mutual silent aggrement. There was nothing left back where she came from. Her new life was here with them and the rest of her new family.

Oh god. Oh god she was having a panic attack. She slipped out of Robin’s hold and pushed away from Chrom’s outreached hand. They were still talking to her; shouting without alerting anyone in the adjacent rooms. But it all sounded so muffled to her. Her ears were ringing and she didn’t even realize she was crying as she tripped over the dress, falling against the wall with a thud. Chrom and Robin both jumped up and carefully walked over to her and watched for a moment. She curled in on herself; tears streaming from her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. Under the dress her knees gave way and she just collapsed on the cold ground, sobbing in terror. “Oh my god. Oh my god.” It was a chant that was keeping her grounded somehow, so she just continued saying it; even as Robin stepped forwards. As carefully as he could, he knelt down in front of her, pushing the fabric of her dress to the side. He spotted the blood splatters and made a clicking noise of annoyance in the back of his throat. Damn Jed.

“_____.” Robin’s voice was soft; like cooling water in a spring on a hot summer day. It very well nearly threw her back in time, back to the easy days of her childhood where no people were being murdered right in front of her. She wanted to stop crying; she wanted to stop freaking out. But her body had locked up so she just continued doing what she was doing. Robin took that as his cue to move in; her head too clogged and fogged with fear to do anything. She flinched when his gloveless hands reached over and grabbed her hips. With a bit of an effort; mainly from her squirming some, he was able to pull her away from the wall and into him once again. She was still crying but now he had her in his arms, wrapped tightly and safely. That was always the first step to calming people down; or at least that’s how it had been in the past, not matter if it was his daughter or even Chrom. “I’ve got you.” Robin whispered again. Now Chrom knelt beside them and he brushed some of her hair away from her face. The gentle touch had her leaning into both of them, her head into Chrom’s palm while her body moved closer to Robin. 

“Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise that, and I always keep my word.” Chrom said as he pressed his lips onto her cheek in a light kiss. It had her shivering, moving closer to Robin. The white haired male hummed in agreement. 

“We will keep you safe.” Finally Robin pulled away but he did not take his eyes off of her face. “Hopefully this will amount to nothing. If no war comes out of this, then the better. Both Chrom and I are a little too old to go fighting across the globe again.” She knew he was just joking. They were in their early thirties. Of course they both were a bit over a decade older than her but still. “But if it comes to it, we will keep you safe. No one is dying on our watch; not again.” Robin said, a darkness spreading over his face and she knew he was talking from experience. One quick glance at Chrom confirmed her suspicions. The Exalt looked like he either wanted to break something or burst into tears. Instead he did neither and helped the two of them up. 

“I will discuss the plans with everyone tomorrow. Would you be able to tell Lissa?” Chrom asked, turning to her. She nodded through her tired eyes and crying flushed skin. She hated being so emotional in front of other people but considering it was the two of them it helped. That, and Chrom’s big hand squeezing the back of her neck pushed a surge of courage and strength into her. With Robin’s hands still on her hips, they stood there in silence for a few more moments before finally moving into action. “Right now I should walk the two of you back to your respective rooms. Don’t speak about this with anyone; that is if you see anyone else tonight. We must keep this secret for right now.” A nod was their response to Chrom’s words and then he turned, letting the two of them follow him out of the room and down the hallway. Robin was the first one to come to his room. 

She stood off to the side, sensing that he and Chrom wanted to speak to each other in private. Though that didn’t mean she wouldn’t watch, which she kind of felt bad about. Especially as Chrom stepped right up to Robin. A few words were shared before they hugged.

And while she had a few flings here and there back in her own time, she was no fool. She had seen two people in love touch one another, hug one another. Chrom and Robin shared a bond far deeper than Exalt and General. It was much deeper than brother in arms. So she turned away; giving them the privacy she knew she should have given them in the beginning. If she heard the softest sound of a kiss, ______ didn’t say anything about it. 

Chrom’s hand on her waist had her looking away from the people walking out of the ballroom that she could still see from where they were in the castle. At this point in the night, the snow was falling; nothing to strong but much more than she was used to. All the lights were still lit in that large room and she was sure the dancing would not end for quite some time. If Jed did that now, even with Robin and Chrom right there in front of him, knowing about the Pact he had signed, then the people around him would know of his violent tendencies. “What are you thinking about?” Chrom asked, guiding her down the hallway to her room. His large hand, still gloved against the cold, held onto her waist. It was a grounding weight, something that had her leaning into his strong body. He hummed, pressing a light kiss to her hair. “You can tell me.”

“Thank you.” She whispered to him in the dimly lit hallway. Each torch they passed was still flickering and casting an orange glow about; also throwing off a smoky tang into the air. She didn’t mind it; growing up around barbecue like she had. They continued to walk down the hallway, Chrom’s hand moving from her hip bone so it rested more on her ribs; squeezing. It was a strange mix of sexual intimacy and emotional intimacy. 

“Thank you for what?” He asked. 

But she just shrugged and tucked herself further into his side. “I don’t know. Just thank you.” She said right as they stopped in front of her door. 

Her body didn’t want to move from Chrom’s. There was the benefit of his body letting off heat in the cold winter night, and just the feeling of someone so strong and solid next to her; she felt safe. And the crying; god she was so emotionally exhausted, enough so that she turned in his grasp. She threw her arms around his shoulders and pushed herself slightly up onto her toes considering he was only a few inches taller than her. On instinct, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and tugged her so they were pressed together; every inch of their bodies. Her own soft breast pressed tightly against his chest and it had her shivering. Thankfully he misread that movement and thought she was cold, just tightening his grasp. 

“I’m so scared.” ______ said. Her face was pressed into the crook of his neck and he pushed a hand into her hair, holding her there. “I’m so scared. I was so scared.” She corrected herself. He pressed his own face to her neck and took a deep breathe. 

“I know. You shouldn’t have seen that. I didn’t know he would do such a thing; in front of so many people. It seems as though he has done that before.” He said what she had been thinking a bit before. They moved away from each other a bit so they could look into each other’s eyes. “I mean what I said. I’ll keep you safe no matter what. You are family now.” His hand cupped her cheek, the gloved thumb brushing away the tears that had escaped from her eyes. All the while her arms were still locked around his shoulders. The silence between the two of them that followed was not heavy or tense. It was just two people that were enjoying each other’s company in a stressful time. “Can I…” Chrom started but stopped. His hands never dropped from her face. 

“Hmm?” She hummed in the back of her throat. His hand on her waist and her face was mesmerizing and causing heat to trail up her spine. 

“Can I kiss you again?” He was still treading lightly around her, knowing that he had really hurt her back in Ylisse with the misplaced mistrust he had felt; and she could appreciate him not just being a pig and taking what he wanted. So she smiled, sad and small but nodded none the less. Unlike the kiss out on the balcony, this one was deeper. She arched her back pressing herself impossibly closer to him as he bit at her bottom lip. The air felt hotter as the sounds of their heavy kissing filled the hallway around them. When she pulled away, needing air, he kissed across her face and moved to kiss down her jaw. 

However the sound of approaching footsteps somewhere in the hallway had them pulling away. She nearly tripped over herself as she went for her door, a quick squeak of a good night and thank you over her should before she slammed it and pressed her ear up against it. 

“Exalt Chrom.” It sounded like a guard and her heart nearly busted from anxiety and heat. Well there was no way she was sleeping that night. 

~’~

_A door opened. The creak was nearly inaudible, but if the individual lying on the bed sleeping were awake, she would have heard it. Never the less, the person walked across the floor; not caring if he made a noise or not. He knew she would not wake up from her slumber. Those with the power of Mila and Duma coursing through their veins expended a great amount of energy simply standing, simply breathing. Sleep was a vital part of the recovery process for those people. He could throw glass and destroy hardwood furniture in there and she wouldn’t budge._

_So the person strolled across the room after shutting the squeaky door. Thankfully the moon was as bright as it was or he would have had to use magic to light his way. That was perhaps the only thing that had the probability of causing the person to awake; at least that kind of magic that is._

_Next to the bed, he sat down near the top where her peaceful face was. Yes. The moon; the goddess Mila would be guarding the beautiful girl against demons and nightmares._

_But she couldn’t guard against him._

_“There she is. That heathen Naga worshiper ripped you away from me. Him and that Grimleal. But that’s ok.” His hand reached out; now ungloved because of the blood that had gotten on it earlier in the night. Her skin felt like silk against his and he had to bite down a moan of ecstasy. He pet her face, fingers tracing the arch of her cheeks and the relaxed bend of her brow. As he continued to speak his fingers found her lips which he touched and pet. “I’m here now. There is so much more that I wish to have shared with you. That damn assassin got in the way. The Grimleal and the Naga worshiper got in the way.”_

_He leaned over her prone body and smiled. Her cheeks were highlighted by the moon and he couldn’t help but lean down and press a light kiss against it. Pulling back, he nuzzled her face with his nose; kissing here and there. “That doesn’t matter though. This is all you need.” He muttered into her jaw while whispering words in a foreign language. Patterns started to glow on her body that had not been there before. They looked like they had been painted on in glow in the dark paint._

_His words slowed to a small hum as the light glowed almost to a blinding degree before he dimmed and dimmed and dimmed; dimmed until the only light emitting from her was on her back. He knew it was there; covering the entirety of it in detailed pattern of the ancient Duma and Mila worshipers of old. “You will know what to do when the time comes.” The man whispered against her unmoving lips. A kiss was pressed against them and he had to hold himself back from going further. Her power was immense and untapped. If the Naga worshiper and Grimleal could just see, if they could just open their eyes; they would realize they had the strongest weapon on the planet._

_“Till we meet again.”_

~’~

A large part of her was glad that neither Chrom nor Robin shared with her what they told Jed to get them ready to leave. The less she spoke and interacted with Jed the better in her book. It wasn’t like she didn’t know Chrom and Robin had killed people; they had. It was just there was something good about them, something righteous. So the next day went by quickly and before she knew it she was being tugged into the carriage by Robin. They were all wrapped in their thick furs like they had been the day they arrived. However this time the air around everyone was thicker with tension. She was sure that Chrom spoke with the rest of their party, explaining the situation. That and she was sure they already knew more about the Non-Violence Pact the countries leaders had signed. So instead of worry about it, she curled into Robin’s chest to get ready for the trip to the harbor. The older man’s hand rested on her hip and the other brushed through her sleep puffed hair. 

“I’ll keep you safe.” He said into the crown of her head. Both of them were looking out the carriages window and both could see Chrom and Jed speaking with one another. While Jed did not look upset in the slightest, Chrom was tense. He stood at his full height and his body was taught as they spoke quietly with one another. Before long, the conversation seemed to end and they shook hands. Chrom turned and headed towards the carriage that she and Robin were in. With his back turned, Jed was able to stare at the Exalt. At first it looked like he was just watching him leave. However her breath caught in her throat when those sharp eyes switched from Chrom to her. He stared right at her; right through the walls of the carriage and pierced the safety Robin’s arms provided. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to get this chapter out because it's all I could think about today.

The trip back to the Plegian coast started out like the trip to Valm did; though now she and Chrom were on much better terms, speaking terms in fact. The air was still frigid, considering they had to sail up, almost touching the country she knew as Greenland, before sailing back down to Plegia. It was because of the coastal currents. Up in the Artic, the water was faster moving in an eastern direction. No one particularly wanted to sail up that far north considering most of them were used to warmer weather; but they all agreed on wanting to get home quicker. So with Sully at the wheel, they set off. 

As they had been dressed upon arrival to Valm, everyone was in their thick fur cloaks. Everyone aside from Panne, but she had actually morphed into her beast form. _____ couldn’t blame her. It looked much warmer like that then in a human form. All she could do was watch the land mass disappear as they moved further and further away from the coast; trying to stay as warm as possible as she and Lissa curled next to each other. 

~’~

Robin knew they were in trouble; big trouble. He had seen this all before, lived through it in the war with his father and with Plegia. Not only that, but the war with Valm those years ago; it was all the same, how violent people could be. Jed was no different. Or perhaps he was, he was just better at hiding his cruel and hideous intentions and tendencies. 

What Robin said to _____... It was to calm her down, to ease her fears. She shouldn’t have seen what she saw and she shouldn’t have to go through a war. No one should have to go through a war; not his children, not _____, and not his friends and family. Robin had enough of fighting and enough of war to last him a hundred life times. So he stood at the back of the boat, watching the waving water. The sun was setting; casting everything in an orange, warm glow; which was starkly contrasting the actual ambient temperature and the water below his feet. Chunks of ice bumped and hit against the boat as they sailed through the water. Thankfully it was a Feroxi made boat so it was built for ice sailing. They wouldn’t have to worry about it. It was just jarring. “Shit.” He whispered. He hated the snow and the cold. He was born in the desert after all. 

That was one thing he liked about Ylisse. While it snowed; it did not snow frequently, and it could get scorching hot during the summers and springs. He just wanted to get home; get out of the snow and the ice. 

As he stood there, his mind zoned out; so much so that he didn’t hear the footsteps behind him. That; or perhaps he thought it was someone else as he leaned against the railing. But that would come to an end soon enough. In the blood red light of the setting sun, Robin felt the burning strike of a sword through his gut. He had felt it before so he knew exactly what it was right when it hit him. His amber eyes wavered some; his head beating like a drum as he looked down to his stomach. As he already knew, a blade stuck out his gut. The metal was actually as strange color; like it’s base color was black but the light caused it to shimmer a rainbow. 

Robin’s hands were shaking violently as he lifted them; not really knowing what to do. It was like he framed the injury. Though he had been stabbed in such a fashion in the past, it had been years; over a decade. So he was sweating even in the sub-freezing temperature of the northern ocean. He glanced over his shoulder in hopes to see who the culprit was, but the pain was getting to him. All he could tell was that it was a man about the same height as him. The person was wearing a dark hood and in the shadow of the top deck, his face was covered. “Fuck.” Robin gasped out as the blade was pulled from his stomach. As close as he was to the edge of the boat, it didn’t take much from the man to push Robin over the edge and his body splashed into the ocean. 

As his body was falling down towards the water; he could hear shouts that continued underneath the icy surface before he went in and out of black inkiness. 

~’~

“Man over board!” _____ screamed in terror as she ran forwards. The hooded figure that she saw standing next to Robin suddenly disappeared and she didn’t know what to do about that. It had to be a mage of some sort if they were using a transportation spell. But that wasn’t something she could deal with currently. She had been looking for Robin and turned the corner around the upper deck right as his body slipped over the edge. 

Right away she could hear heavy footsteps behind her and like clock work, people appeared at her side. Chrom, Vaike, Panne, and a handful of the deck hands covered around the edge. Where Robin was in the water, his body was covered in shadow and the sun was only making it worse; setting as fast as it was. She felt fear and terror slip through her. 

“Shit.” Chrom said as he went to start to unhook the different buckles and pieces of his armor on his person. But she knew it was taking too slowly. There was too much on him. So she just threw the large cloak of her shoulder and grabbed one end of the rope off of Vaike. Everyone turned to look at her as she kicked off her boots and tied the rope around her waist before jumping off the boat. Chrom’s scream of her name followed after her but she couldn’t care. No. At this point her body was on autopilot as she plummeted to the dark water; the ice growing closer and closer.

The first moment where she was fully engulfed in the North Artic Ocean, she completely blacked out. It was just a brief moment but it was definitely her passing out. The pain was so incredibly immense, she was really starting to understand Rose in the Titanic for the first time in her life. For the longest time she wondered why Rose took so long to swim to the whistle to call for help when the boat turned around. 

Now she understood. When _____ surfaced again, she actually smacked her head against a sharp piece of ice and she knew that she was bleeding.

But not now.

She couldn’t think about herself. 

Her vision was blurry as she looked around for Robin’s form but she was able to spot the shock of his white hair against the darkening water. Thankfully when he fell his clothing was caught against a chunk of ice so he was kept above water; his pale skin already turning blue against the ice his cheek was resting against. 

Thankfully _____ was a little more physically fit than Rose was. She pushed through the water as fast as her freezing limbs would take her. There were a few times where she slipped beneath the surface, ice and water sucking into her lungs, but she was finally able to get to Robin. He was silent but breathing which _____ thanked whatever god was listening. Though she was a little more upset that she had to wrangle Robin out of his wet overcoat. Of course knowing that he wouldn’t want to lose it, she threw it over her other shoulder while she wrapped her free arm around his waist. With stilted movement she turned and swam back to the boat that had stopped. She would have to thank Sully later.

“She got him! Help me Vaike, Panne!” Chrom shouted. The three of them started to pull at the rope, tugging her along through the water much faster than she would have gone if she had been by herself. Once she helped them pull her and Robin up to the side of the ship, she gripped the man as close as she could to her side and allowed the three to pull them out of the water. At this point, the sun had set and the temperature had dropped. Thankfully, she could already feel the heat from the torches that had been placed around the vessel. Though that would not be enough for Robin.

The two of them collapsed onto the deck and everyone went into a flurry; but in her still adrenaline pumped mind, she jumped up faster. She knew what she had to do so she pushed Lissa and Maribelle out of the way. Straddling Robin’s waist, she started chest compressions. 

After the correct number of pumps to his chest, she leaned down and did the mouth to mouth part. If she wasn’t as frigid as she was, she was sure his lips would feel cold. Instead everything was numb. “Come on Robin.” There was no doubt she needed CPR for herself. Her body temperature had lowered so much that the chunks of ice she swallowed were surely still formed. That and the water kept her stomach cold. _____ could still feel the ice there in her stomach; tight and painful. “Come on Robin.” The chant continued with her chest compressions until to her complete joy, his coughing had her pulling back, turning his torso so he could throw the water up. Once it was all out of him, he was blurry but conscious. Everyone stood silently as he looked up with bloodshot eyes before landing on her. 

“I need bandages.” He was able to mutter out and so she stood, allowing Vaike, Lissa, and Maribelle to help him down to the captain’s cabin where Chrom stayed. They would have put him in the crew’s quarters but considering his injury, they needed a quiet place to work. 

With the crowd gone, the silence of the wintery night took over Chrom and _____. The two of them stood there, staring out into the water. Above them, just like in Titanic she noted, the stars twinkled like nothing she had ever seen before. Of course it would be like that though. Out here there was no light pollution. This entire would should be without light pollution actually. “I don’t think I could ever thank you enough. ”Chrom started, breaking the silence. She didn’t react when he reached for her waist because her entire body was still completely numb. Plus his body felt like a furnace. “That was brave. Stupid but brave. You saved Robin’s life.”

“I just acted on auto pilot. I don’t know what I would have done with myself if I let him die.” She responded through chattering teeth. Chrom took notice and took his own cloak off to wrap it around her shoulders. Picking up her boots he lead them back around the top deck and to the steps that would lead to the sleeping quarters. Yet when the got to the bottom of those steps and the hallways started out in front of them, she wavered by his hip. 

“_____?” Chrom’s voice was distant, the walls started to fold in on themselves. 

“I don’t feel so good.” Was all _____ could get out before her body slammed to the floor and her world went black.

~’~

The entire day had been far too stressful for his liking. From the conversation he shared with Jed that morning at the castle to Robin falling into the Ocean to this. Chrom was sure he would have grey hairs by the end of this. 

“_____!” He shouted and crouched down beside her. Picking up her body, he pressed his fingers into the crook of her neck where her pulse would be.

And found none. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mind the new tags I added.

The trip back to Ylisse was much Faster than the trip to Valm. While one of the major reasons was because they had a favorable wind pushing them along, the biggest one for her was that she was passed out the entire time. Hell, jumping into Artic water could do that to you. The next time she woke up, she was bumping along in a closed carriage, similar to the one they took from the castle in Valm to the harbor. Yet this time the windows had been opened. It seemed as though it was an unseasonably warm winter day. She was not complaining. Growing up in a warm climate like she did she was just about done with the snow. 

Her head lolled to the side, since she was lying on one of the cushioned benches, and she saw she had company within the carriage. Robin was sleeping on the other bench. He looked a little worse for ware, but he had all his limbs and he was breathing, if his chest gently rising and falling was anything to go by. It put a smile in her face, knowing she was able to save him as she did. Really she did not know what she would have been able to do with herself if he had died. What would they have told Morgan? How could they have looked her in the eye and said that her father died out in the middle of the ocean? While she had not heard much about the war they fought all those years ago, she could only assume it was hard fought. There was no need to risk his life anymore. 

“I see you are awake.” A deep voice said outside the window over her head. ______ looked up and spotted Frederick, obviously trotting alongside the carriage on his horse. She blinked while sitting up slowly, knowing if she moved any faster she would only pass out again. Though all the while she watched him out of the corner of her eye. The whole time she had been in this time and in this world, she didn’t speak much with the older man. Who would willingly interact with someone that was suspicious of you? That seemed to be plotting against you and though you were a danger? It wasn’t like she wanted to be judged and ridiculed at every turn. It wasn’t like she asked to be thrown into this world, though of course she grew to love it. 

Seeing him was not to surprising, considering the man’s alliances to the royal family. “Where are we?” She asked, rubbing her sore head. More than likely, they were back in Ylisse. It just depended how close to the castle they were. He was silent, causing her whole head to turn in his direction. He was staring ahead of him and she watched before moving and sticking her head out of the window as well. 

Ah yes, there it was. Chrom and Lissa were near the front of their little caravan. Both were smiling and chattering, some of the others joining in on the conversation. It was the. That she realized the carriage was actually the very last in the group, probably because of the speed. When she turned back to Frederick, her eyes actually widened in surprise. The knight nearly looked as though he were about to cry. “I haven’t seen those two like that in over a decade. Not since Robin first came into their lives.” She felt a lump grow in her throat as she observed him for a few more seconds, then turning back to the siblings. Through the trees, the sun cast a glow to everything that had her stomach relaxing. The warmth made everything seem so hazy and dream like, Chrom and Lissa smiling and playfully jostling each other even on horseback. And for a moment it was as though she were looking back in time, seeing what the greying man beside her saw. There were no other people and the brother and sister were not riding their horses. 

Instead it was a young girl and a young man. Both had not gone through the harrowing trials of war and they had an older sister to go home to, no expectations on their shoulders. And there was another figure beside him. Robin looked at them with absolute love, his eyes lingering on Chrom as though he held the keys to the universe; as though Chrom was the one that cause the sun to rise and the tides to pull in and out. It had ______ blinking away tears, a similar action to Frederick. 

“I know I was wary of you when you first arrived. But they are the only things I have left in this world. I wasn’t able to save their older sister. That will be with me until the day I die, it is something that I have to live with and come to terms with.” He paused and then glanced to the other occupant of the carriage, still sleeping soundly. “But when one life is lost, another life is gained. It seems as though the universe wants to keep itself in balance.” And then he looked at her. “I’m sorry that I was that way to you. I have seen the err in my ways. You saved Robins life and you have brought a happiness back to this little haphazard family.” He stopped for a moment and then she saw another vision. This time it was Frederick who was thrown back in time. A gentleman who scowled bat had that stunning youthful appearance that came with people pre-war. A smile formed on his face, a sad thing. “I could never thank you enough.you have my eternal gratitude.” It was like the world slowed, a warm breeze passing between the two of them as the sun filtered through the leaves of the trees. 

She herself had to physically brush tears away this time. And she smiled. “No problem Frederick.” 

~’~

When they got back to the castle, Chrom was the first one to meet her at the carriage. Actually he opened the door before she was even able to get out, catching her off guard and her eyes widened. He beamed this huge smile at her before stepping up onto the foot hold and wrapping her into a tight hug. One of his arms tugged on her waist while the other hand gripped her hair and pushed her head into the crook of his neck. He breathed her smell in deeply, almost shaking. “Ugh?” Dignified you idiot, she thought to herself. Chrom finally pulled back, taking a step down so she herself could move out of the carriage. 

“I was so worried. You passed out right after saving Robin and didn’t wake up until getting back to the country. Frederick told me you awoke in the carriage and you seemed coherent.” He spoke quickly and she couldn’t help but think about said conversation she had with the knight. The man in front of her seemed twenty years younger than he currently was. 

“I’m sorry I worried you but yeah haha.” She laughed, scratching her arm while looking away. However Chrom took her chin in is hand. He pulled her face back towards his and looked so deeply into her eyes she had to twitch; it was such a drastic change in emotions. 

“______, you didn’t have a pulse. I don’t want you doing anything like that again without consulting anyone or getting help. Do you understand me?” This time she didn’t mind his fatherly like and authoritative tone. She agreed with it actually. Yes she would have done what she did a thousand times over, she also knew it was one of the stupidest things she had ever done and probably will ever do. So all she could do was nod and reassure the man in front of her. Chrom smiled then let her go, stepping back then looking towards the carriage. “Now how about you walk me up with him?” Chrom said while gently pulling Robin out of the carriage like the man was made of glass. Though as she had thought back when she first woke up, he was looking much better. The purplish blue tint his kin had taken on back on the boat was gone. Perhaps being back home was helping much more than she thought. 

Either was she followed beside Chrom as he carried Robin. More than likely Sumia or someone else had taken the kids out so they wouldn’t see Robin in such a state or they wouldn’t be underfoot which she was grateful for. There was no need for them to witness it. 

Once they were at Robin’s room, she rushed in front of them, opening the door and then pulled the sheets on his bed back so Chrom could put the other male down. They didn’t have to undress him any more than he already was considering Lissa had done that on the boat. So instead they stepped back, looking at Robin now that he was tucked in. Chrom shuffled, like he was impatient about something or like he had to go to the bathroom which had her glancing in his direction. 

Oh. 

OH. 

He wanted to sit with Robin until he woke up. Yet it was glaringly obvious Chrom had stuff he had to do considering he was, you know, a head of state. So _____ snorted and bumped her hip against his then grabbed his hand. “You go ahead. I will stay here and you can go be the Exalt. When he wakes up I will send for you.” That seemed to appease the Exalt enough, grinning from ear to ear before he leaned over and pressed a deep kiss into her lips before he turned and walked out of the room; leaving her a flustered mess. “Damn.” She muttered under her breath while dragging a chair over to the side of the bed so she could sit and watch of him. 

While she had gotten quite a bit of rest on the boat, she was still getting over what she assumed was pneumonia and a bout of hypothermia. She was going to excuse herself for falling asleep in a warm, familiar and cozy environment. 

~’~

When I awoke, there was a familiar sensation wrapping around my body. It made me shift and shuffle before I was able to open my eyes. But when I did, there was, once again, a familiar setting; a familiar sight. I had been in this room before, but it had been years. That time ago, the role had been different, embroiled in impending chaos. But there was a familiar aura in the air as I finally sat up in the bed. Yes, it was that stench of unspoiled blood and the rage of war. Oh how I missed it. 

Oh? And what was this? A young woman, no older than 25, was sleeping next to me, sitting uncomfortably in a chair and resting her head against the sheets. She looked about as tired as my body felt, sleeping soundly. Yet I moved again and her eyes fluttered open, sleep still floating somewhere in her mind. I stared until she finally looked up at me with a smile. While she was unfamiliar in physical appearance, she obviously knew me in some form or fashion. And considering I was in Ylisse… hmm…

“Ah Robin, you are awake. How are you feeling?” She leaned forwards some, stretching her sleep tightened arms. “You were out the entire boat ride and carriage ride back. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get to you sooner or I’m sure you would have woken up sooner as well.” So something happened, I just didn’t know what as of yet. “Since you are awake I can go get Chrom. He will want to see you.” All of her movements were slow and relaxed as she stood, stretching again. This time I couldn’t help but look at how her tunic rose and showed her lean body, long and tall and gorgeous; beautiful enough for a smirk to form on my face. So as she turned, I stood silently, making sure she couldn’t hear me as I followed behind her to the door. And when she reached to open it, succeeding by a few inches, I slammed my hand against the wood by her head, cornering her against the door. For a moment she was still, just staring at the door as I stared at her backside. However it seemed as though she finally thought through whatever she was thinking and turned, only to have me grab her wrist in a crushing grip and pin her hands over her head, then push my knee between her thighs. Up until that moment she obviously had herself under control. Now I could smell it. She was nervous. Her heart beat picked up as I rubbed my thumb against her pulsing vein in her wrist. 

“Alright Robin. You can let go of me now. You must have banged your head on the ice harder than I thought.” She tried to laugh it off but the chuckle faded when I just hummed and leaned in. Her body tensed like a drawn whip when I rubbed my nose along her jaw. “Robin?” She gasped, voice shaking and pitched higher into a squeak when I bit down on her jaw. Her entire body jerked and she tried to rip her hands away but it was fruitless considering how strong I was compared to her. And her magic wouldn’t work, not with me, not now. It seemed as though she realized that because she stared to jerk against my body, thrashing to get away. “Fuck Robin let go!” This time she yelled, the seeming fear making way for anger. “What the fuck are you doing?” 

And I decided to humor her, the chase often being more fun then the actual outcome, and let her squirm from my grasp. Because of the trajectory of her movements, she stumbled away from the door, putting me between it and her which she was quick to realize. 

“Stars above you are stunning.” I couldn’t help but growl out as she stood there, frazzled and shaking. She moved like she was about to fight me but we both knew better than that. The simple fact I was who I was would stop her. So all she could do was move quietly, like it would reveal a opening. “And while I would love to play with you more, I think it it is time.” No one in all my years had accused me of being patient. So I lunged forwards and she jumped to move away, but she was too slow. Before she could escape I had her face down on the ground. 

~’~

The title of Frederick the Wary had been given to him for a reason. Often times people would say he had like a second sense when it came to troubling and horrible events. He had climbed the ranks on the battlefield because of it. 

Considering his age, he didn’t mind taking on a quieter, more “home bound” rule of looking out for problems. His knees couldn’t handle the stress anymore. 

So while the return of his Exalt and the family was welcomed, it also brought an unwelcome guest. His sixth sense of horror flickered on like a monstrous shadow growing in the dark. The last time he felt this way was a decade ago during the war…back when Grima… Frederick found himself in the right for turning and walking towards the sleeping quarters of the royal family where Robin’s room was located. Would anyone really blame him? After everything that happened those year ago? It wasn’t like he was suspicious of Robin in particular. It was more he was… making sure the Plegian was alright, that everything was… good. And he was going to see if ______ needed any help. Chrom had said he left her with Robin. Yeah. He was just checking up on the two of them. 

Frederick walked down the hallway and came to the door. It was quiet on the other side. He assumed that perhaps she had fallen asleep and he was still resting. “Just checking up on them.” He said under his breath and opened the door quietly. 

And Frederick’s blood went icy. Both were definitely awake. But neither were doing what he thought they would be doing. 

Robin’s form was over hers, one of his large hands wrapped around her mouth so she wouldn’t make any noise. Both were kneeling on the floor but she was crying while Robin had a wicked smile on his face. And the white haired male was fucking into her rather violently. 

No. That wasn’t Robin. That was Grima. And his suspicions were confirmed when sharp red eyes slid over to Frederick. Grima stopped and stood, letting her body collapse to the floor as Frederick pulled out his axe. “Ah how long has it been Frederick?” Even his voice sounded distorted. Those eyes caught sight of the weapon and he sighed, rolling his eyes as he stepped away from _____’s prone body, which the older man was able to now see was bleeding from multiple places. “Robin’s body is still recovering from whatever happened. There is now way I would win in a physical fight, against you at least and definitely not against Chrom. Where is he by the way?” Oh god Frederick didn’t even want to think about how Chrom was going to react. He could recall the conversation he had with _____ on the way back from the port, about how happy Chrom was. It seemed as though he could never catch a damn break. “Has he fucked her yet?” He crouched down and grabbed her by the hair, pulling her head up. 

And Frederick saw something that Grima obviously didn’t care about, or he just didn’t see. Before Grima could push her further, _____ swung her hand out and decked Grima in the face, rolling away from him and coming to a crouch closer to Frederick. Slowly she stood and pulled up her pants that Grima had ripped down when he was raping her. While she half way covered herself up, the blood was still seeping through her pants and her shirt and dripping down her chin. And she was furious. But also Frederick saw her body shake as she let tears fall from her eyes. “Get out of Robin’s body you monster!”

Grima chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest and tilting his head to the side; those reptilian eyes boring holes into the two of them. “How cute. As I said, you can’t take me in a physical fight or a magic one. Of course Frederick is herein. But neither of you have the Falchion. Not that any of you would use it on me, not while I’m inhabiting Robin’s body.” 

“You are right about that.” Chrom’s voice came from the doorway. They all turned to look at him, standing there in all of his glory with Falchion drawn. “I may have the Falchion but as long as you wear his face I won’t touch you.” Now he walked forwards, putting himself between Grima and the other two. He stood before glancing back at her, seeing her torn shirt, the blood, and the bruises. Chrom’s eyes shifted to the floor before glancing back towards Grima. “I think it would be beneficial for everyone if you cooperated with us until Robin comes back Grima.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Grima gets his own personal tense because I wanted to differentiate between gods/goddesses and humans.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm in love with legendary lyn and I pulled her (my one five star per every like six months -_-). Her outfit though, like has me swooning. So I wanted our sweet Reader in it; especially during her and Chroms little side quest let's call it haha.

When ______ walked into the medical wing of the castle, Lissa and Maribelle jumped up like the room was on fire. She flinched as they were rushed into a flurry around her. “Oh heavens above what happened?” Maribelle was the first to talk. And honestly she was glad Frederick allowed her to walk the rest of the way by herself because she didn’t want the older man to say anything that might implicate Robin in a wrong way. So as the two woman walked her over to the inspecting bed, she gasped out an answer.

“It was… I was…” She was now realizing Grima had hit her much harder than she first realized. In their scuffle, he threw a fist right to her diaphragm which had pretty much put her out of commission. She was sure there was a Grima, Robin’s hand sized bruise on her stomach. “Grima.” Lissa’s body went whipchord tight, Maribelle’s following suit quickly. So _____ tried to assuage their fears. “Chrom has Grima now. Don’t worry.” While it didn’t abate their fears completely, both woman warily helped her out of her clothing. When she was completely naked, the damage Grima bared against her was far worse. Maribelle had a scowl on her face and Lissa looked about the same.

Her vagina, from the tearing Grima did when he entered her without prep, finally stopped bleeding. Now her legs were coated in red, matte from the air. Like she suspected, right above her stomach, in between her ribs, was a lathe bruise already black from how hard Grima punched her. Her lip was bleeding and she knew, when she had fallen to the ground, she cracked her skull. That was the only explanation to the blood drying in her hair. “And…Grima did this?”

______ wasn’t fond of how Maribelle asked that, like she thought it was Robin that had raped her. It nearly had her storming out of the room, even still naked, but she just sat there instead. She would rather stick up for Robin then let his name be dragged through the mud.

“Of course it was Grima,” She said, keeping her voice shockingly level. The two women continued bandaging her up, the blue glow of their healing staves also bouncing against the walls. “Of course it was.” She trailed off. 

Lissa looked down, pausing before looking back up. “I am sorry that happened.” Of course they would know, considering the amount of blood between her legs. “We did not think Grima would return as soon as he had. Those years ago during the war, Chrom landed the finishing blow on Grima. He didn’t want Robin gone. None of us wanted to lose him, especially not Chrom though. He thinks we are all stupid but we know he has feelings for Robin. That’s the only explanation.” She stopped and _____ just waited and listened. Well that answered on of her questions she had since dropping into Ylisse. Chrom at least, was bisexual. Lissa continued. “Are you alright? I mean mentally?” It had ______ blinking in surprise.

Was she alright? In all honesty she had not thought about herself since Chrom walked into that room. Of course something traumatic happened to her, but Robin was hurting. “I may very well be more upset later,” she started slower. The two woman pulled away, finished for the time being healing her. She now had a bandaged wrapped around her head, one tightly wrapped around her diaphragm, and one wrapped around her neck where Grima ripped into her neck with his teeth. All her other injuries had been healed with the stave. “But right now, all I’m worried about is Robin. Is that wrong?” ______ would have reached for her clothing, but they were covered in blood and ripped so she stopped short. It seemed as though Maribelle understood the silent conversation between the three of them and exited to get her some new clothes.

“Of course I was terrified the whole time, but all I can think about now is how much Robin must be hurting. Is that wrong of me?” Lissa took her hands, sitting beside her on the bed. Her big eyes were strong, understanding.

“There is nothing wrong with the way you feel. But just know, further down the line if you do start to feel upset further over what happened, everyone will be here for you. Even Robin when he comes back to us.” And in that moment, ______ let her tears flow that she had been holding back, trying to not let Grima see how much what he did effect her. She sobbed in Lissa’s comforting arms, all the way until Maribelle returned with soft clothing for her to change into.

~’~

It had been about a week since the incident with Grima and she hadn’t seen any of the thing wearing Robin’s face, nor the Exalt. Really she had just been meandering around the castle, and even the town. Those trips had been in the company of one or two of the Shepherds. Sometimes she would bring the whole troupe along. Those were fun times, even though she knew they were all trying extra hard to make her comfortable. Not that she was mad at that. It was very kind of them. It was just that they did. It understand she was much stronger about it than she first thought. Or perhaps, she just wasn’t letting it fog her mind. Though perhaps it was because of their efforts that she was doing as well as she was.

At this point, she had beaded necklaces and scarves and head bands and even a new set of a bow and arrows. Most of it had been from Gaius, Panne, Vaike, and Miriel. So the next time she went out in just the company of Sumia, she was actually rather shocked the other woman guided her into a dress store. Though it wasn’t an ordinary one.

Right away ______ could smell the leather and the cufflinks. This dress store was things one would wear into battle. The store owner happily trotted over, greeting Sumia before turning to her. The first thing ______ noticed was that it was an older woman, a younger one manning the back room just beyond the curtain. “And you must be Miss ______. I have heard so much about you from Miss Sumia and Miss Sully.” She couldn’t help but snort at the use of Miss, considering both woman were married. But the old ladies happiness and exuberance was infectious. So she hugged her and then pulled away.

“Thank you for having me today. I hope I’m not much of a burden.” She said, only assuming, at the very least, both her and Sumia would be suited up with something. However when the older woman guided her to the back room, _____ was the only one being worked on. Sumia stood to the side, quietly but watching with a happy and relaxed look. _____ couldn’t hold back. “Ugh Sumia. What is going on? Most of my gear back at the castle is fine.” She added a quick no offense to the pair of woman taking her measurements which they just responded with nods. Sumia stepped forwards.

“Most of that gear is either old or meant for a masculine build. Plus it is not suited for horse back or for combat using a weapon.” And then the bow and arrows made since. She hummed in the back of her throat, the old woman putting the last pin in. And when she did, she turned _____ around towards the mirror. _____’s jaw dropped.

While she could see the practical uses of fighting in such an outfit, it was still beautiful, absolutely breath taking. There were high splits on either side of the dress, all the way up to her hips which would allow for perfect movement. Different plates and armor pieces would be placed over her chest and the way she could use arrows was easily seen. “I’m… I’m speechless.” She whispered, realizing the blue fabric was the same color the royals wore in their regalia.

~’~

Chrom could only hope that she would not be upset with him. It would be the first time they saw each other in over a week and a half, and it was for her first session with him in sword play training. He could only hope she didn’t take it as a slight against her, that she wasn’t a good fighter or anything like that. He had seen her in action; like the spar against Jed and the training sessions she would have with Tharja and Robin. Not to mention how she would soundly kick Vaike’s ass. He just couldn’t assuage his own nervousness, waiting in the training grounds with Vaike, Stahl, and Henry all quietly speaking to one another. Chrom himself was dressed in a simple tunic, black pants tucked into his boots. As per usual, Falchion was sheathed at his side, though now he had two practice blades ready to go. Feeling their weight in his hands brought back quite a few memories.

How long had it been? All those years ago when he had no idea how to accurately wield a blade. He was sure now that she would pick it up quickly. They would then be able to work with a spear and the bow Panne bought her. “Hello Chrom.” Think about them and they shall come. Chrom looked up from the dulled swords and nearly stumbled backwards. Sumia had taken her to the armorers, that was for certain.

She was stunning, walking slowly over to him. The dress was slightly different then the original design. While the first one had slits up both sides of the dress, this one was just open on the one side, but it still allowed for a range of movement. And she was still breath taking lay beautiful. He stumbled over to her in a daze.

Up close it was obvious to see that the trips into town with everyone had done wonders since the incident with Grima. Of course it wouldn’t erase it all, but she was smiling again. There was color in her skin and she looked… well she looked alive. He could help it but to drop the swords and cup her face, the tips of his fingers brushing her hair that was pulled back. She blushed but smiled up at him. “Thank you for the dress. Time to spar I assume.” Oh. Oh yeah. Duh.

“Of course.” He pulled away and picked up one of the swords, handing the other one to her. “I wanted to teach you in other forms of fighting, aside from hand to hand and magic. I am not sure how long Robin will be out of commission ,” shit he shouldn’t have brought him up. But when he looked over she didn’t look perturbed, so he continued. “Because of that, we are down a valuable fighter. He was better with magic, but he was decent with a sword as well. Losing him right now is like losing three fighters really. And with the problems that have risen with Jed, we need as many proficient fighters as possible.” She watched, then looked down at the dull blade in her hand. While it would break the skin, it was nothing like many of the blades they actually fought with. “Getting you up to speed should fill in that gap for now.

She nodded and looked back up at him. “Let’s do this.” And they did. The training was going well. For the most part, it consisted of just practice swings and foot work. When he felt like they were doing well enough, he pulled her away from the fighting dummy. Now it was time to do a little sparring between the two of them. Of course he wouldn’t go all out. At least not yet anyways.

From the first moment when they lunged at one another, they grew an audience. The three that had already been there were hooping and hollering. However that just attracted more and more of the Shepherds. Before long they were almost all there.

A few times, they were both able to land solid blows on one another. And then he got her back, quickly using his larger size to his advantage. Of course they had said it was a sword fight spar, but she was mainly a hand to hand combat fighter so he assumed it was fine. So he wrapped he Is arms around her mid section and she immediately began to struggle. Though it was mad harder considering he had her arms pinned under his grip as well. She grunted and threw her booted feet up, trying unsuccessfully to throw the two backwards. What Chrom had not been expecting was for her fingerless gloved hand to reach for anything on his body to grab a hold of for leverage.

He least of all expected for her to grab the hilt of Falchion.

She started to pull and a piercing light filled the area around them. There was a moment where the light was all there was, then they were thrown apart by a burst of energy; Chrom backwards and her forwards.

The first thing that had Chrom realizing something was majorly wrong was the eerily familiar groan of pain on the ground beside him. Then came a familiar shout.

Of his name, but quite clearly not directed towards him. He pushed himself up and looked to his left, only to confirm what he already knew.

“Blast it.” A Chrom at least ten years younger groaned, rubbing his head. The older Chrom knew Lissa and the others would be just as young and running over to them. He looked up and noted they were indeed on the training grounds, just ten years ago. He then glanced around again, spotting ______. She was there as well, though she had been thrown forwards as he had felt earlier. And it seemed as though this day he and Robin had been sparring because she was sprawled over the Plegian mage, his heavy coat absent in the summer day. “Ugh, Lissa? Did I hit my head harder than I thought, or am I seeing myself?” Chrom looked up at his sister, now much younger than he had seen her that morning. The blonde looked like she was about to faint, though they were all distracted my _____ who groaned.

“Fuck that hurt.” She muttered, sitting up. She was quick to realize she was in fact sitting on someone, and jumped up; Falchion still in her hand which had her tossing it as though it burned her. Then she turned and froze like a dear in a hunters gaze. Behind her, Robin was slowly sitting up, rubbing his chest and head since she had been thrown into him rather hard.

“Well shit.” _____ said. And everyone was in a silent agreement. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly older Chrom is so damn hot wtf.

Before either of them could move, guards were tackling them to the ground. She got a mouthful of dirt as a familiar voice shouted from behind them. When she tried to look over her shoulder, she caught a glimpse of familiar blueish white armor. Her head whipped around, catching Chrom staring at the ground with a strange expression on his face; not struggling to get free at all. So she stopped squirming and stood when the guard pulled the two of them up. Her eyes were on Chrom up until a younger Frederick ran up to them. Behind him was a young Vaike and a young Sumia. Both of them looked back and forth between the two newcomers. While Sumia had a deep red flush on her face from older Chrom’s appearance, Frederick the wary looked like he couldn’t decide on whether to kill the two of them first or torture them to get information. “And who in the world might you two be? Taking the young lords face in such a manner, how disgraceful.” Frederick growled, nearly storming forwards again to knock Chrom out cold. However, the older Chrom just chuckled and sighed.

“I had a feeling you would be storming out here, though our trip was unexpected.” His eyes trailed over to where she had dropped Falchion upon being thrown into Robin. The other Chrom noticed his line of sight and walked over, picking the large sword up and blinked. While it looked different than the one on his hip, it was still the same sword. The young man knew that and walked back over.

“Frederick, this is Falchion. I… I think this is me…or well, an older version of me.” His eyes trailed over his older self, seeing his broad chest under the white tunic, his long legs covered in the black pants that were tucked in the thick black boots. He then looked over Chrom’s face, seeing the age and wear. The young man, no older than 19 years old, then glanced at her for a brief moment with a small smile before looking back at Frederick. The knight had been observing it all with tight eyes, even the brief smile he gave her, but stayed quiet to everyone’s surprise.

“If anything Frederick, please let her go free. She is a mage, but she will not harm you.” 

“Chrom!” She gasped, it the guard took the orders and let her go. She was smarter than to walk towards him though. Instead she stood quietly by herself. It looked like the now teenage Lissa wanted to come over and talk to her, but the young blonde stopped herself short. Instead they all watched.

“Would you like me to show you the mark of the Exalted bloodline? I suspect that should be enough to quell your worries my dear Frederick.” The knight seemed to have not have thought of that. He blinked before nodding slowly, grabbing Chrom’s shoulder and pulling him back as the older doppelgänger was released from the guards hold. She watched with baited breath as Chrom pulled his white tunic from his pants. While they had kissed and made up, literally and metaphorically, she had still never seen him shirtless. Though she knew he was cut like a diamond, having been pressed intimately against him. And her suspicious were only confirmed. When he pulled his shirt over his chest, she felt a hard blush form over her cheeks.

Sumia, on the other hand, looked very well near to passing out from the sight, which was actually quite surprising considering who she was married to in the future. When ______ glanced over at the younger Robin and Chrom, she had to hold her jaw from falling. While she knew Robin and Chrom were intimate in some form or fashion in the future, she was not sure as to when that startled. Perhaps this was the catalyst. Robin’s usually pale face was nearly tomato red at the sight of Chrom’s ripped abs. Well she couldn’t blame him. He was stunning, in an Adonis, ethereal sort of way.

Finally Chrom turned his shoulder and there it was, a birthmark. She looked from the one on his shoulder to his younger counterparts and he was not lying, not that she thought he had been. The evidence was there, though it seemed as though Frederick would have to do some investigating on his own. He walked forwards and grabbed Chrom’s bare arm, only for a soft voice nearly right behind ______ to snap everyone out of the frenzy. _____ nearly jumped out of her skin, spinning around to come face to face with one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. She had described Chrom as being ethereal, but this woman was the purest form of that.

“Hello.” She was just a little shorter than _____, so she had to look up when smiling at her. Her long blonde hair was done in a way that only the woman could pull off. In the pale green cloak and the identical birthmark to Chrom’s shoulder on her forehead, she walked so she was standing beside ______. Her entire aura was calming, allowing for ______ to finally take a breath. Though….though she still was not sure as to who the woman was. Though it didn’t take long for her to find out. The look on her Chrom’s face was more than enough to give her an answer. He suddenly looked so…so tired…so damn tired.

This was the older sister that had died. This was Emmeryn, and all she could do was stare at the peaceful woman with wide eyes. “Come now Frederick, you know Chrom would never hurt you or anyone else here for that matter.” _____ watched Frederick let go of Chrom and she felt another piece of the puzzle slip into place. Oh my god, Frederick was in love with Emmeryn, she thought to herself. A small flush formed over Fredericks cheeks as he stepped away from Chrom. His eyes turned to her and he started in her direction, but Emmeryn’s delicate, but oddly large hand hand placed itself over his hand. “And I believe that Chrom would know this young woman well enough to not bring her into the castle if she were a danger.” Emmeryn nodded at her with a smile, before turning back towards Chrom. He was putting his shirt back on, watching Emmeryn with sad eyes. It seemed as though the current Exalt was an intelligent woman. She frowned. “May I speak to you in private Chrom?”

The younger man nearly stepped forwards, but stopped when his older clone followed the eldest of the family. He was walking past _____ when she remembered something and she quickly grabbed his arm. They all watched as she tugged him away so they could have some semblance of privacy. Once far enough away, she turned to face him, leaning in close just to make sure no one would catch what they were saying. “I don’t know how to explain this well, but don’t tell her anything about the future.”

The older man tilted his head to the side in confusion. He hadn’t told her fully about the whole debacle with Lucina, but his daughter had been very forthcoming with what happened, and he told that quickly to _____. However she put both her hands up, still gloved, and shook them back and forth. “From what you are telling me, she only gave you vague descriptions, like you were going to die or that you were betrayed. Of course you are going to die at some point in the future, and of course you will be betrayed by someone. That is just a part of life. She never gave you specifics though.” Chrom had to admit she had a point. “I know, I know you are going to want to tell her everything when the two of you are alone, but you can’t.” The frown if disappointment in his face was apparent. So he reached up and cupped his cheek. “Trust me. I know it sounds funny, but the time I’m from, we have moving pictures we call movies.” Her hand slipped away from his face as she explained.

“A lot of these movies, the people are sent to the past because they have to learn a lesson. I don’t know what sent us back here,” they both stopped, looking over at the group. They were all talking to each other quietly now. Her eyes flickered over to Robin and Chrom who were talking alone, standing close to one another; much closer than mere friends would stand. Though it didn’t seem like Chrom’s past self was realizing what he was doing to Robin, and Robin was completely aware as to what was going on. She turned back to Chrom right as he looked at her. “But it’s worth a shot, that you may need to learn a lesson if some sort. Just think about it when you are speaking with your sister.” _____ said as they walked back towards the group. Emmeryn guided Chrom away, leaving her standing there on the training grounds.

“Miss?” She turned. A young Chrom was looking at her, hesitant but hopeful.most of everyone had scattered so only he, Robin, and her were standing in the small training courtyard. At this age, they were both her height, though she looked at Robin and suspected she weighed quite a bit more than him considering how lanky he looked. She felt that way even about Chrom, though not as much since he was a close range fighter and would have had to had muscle all his life.

She stared at the two for a little longer. It was strange. This had to be before the war, both of them if she were to guess by the soft way they looked. “_____ _____. It’s nice to meet you two…or well, meet you two again.”

~’~

Frederick and Lissa both stormed into the room they were holding Grima. The head of white hair and the pointing red eyes turned when the door slammed open and a smirk formed over his face. Before he could get a word in, Frederick grabbed him by the front of his tunic and lifted him off the floor. The smug look fell off of Grima’s face as his eyes narrowed. “I was going to ask to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you two, but now I’m not so sure.”

“What did you do to Chrom and _____?” Frederick asked, shaking Grima by his clothing, but the white haired male sighed.

“I honestly have no idea what you are talking about. I have been here the entire time.” Frederick was about to start swinging, but luckily Lissa was there. She grabbed the older mans fist before he could hurt Robin’s body. Ever the level headed healer, she decided to ask some questions herself.

“The two of them disappeared when she pulled Falchion out of the is sheath? Why would that happen?” She asked as Frederick finally let go. Grima hummed, walking away from the two.

“I assume it’s a combination of things. The Falchion blade tends to react strangely when it has a surprising wielded, or it does not know it’s about to be wielded. Those without the royal blood can wield the weapon with a sharp blade under certain conditions, however those are not important for this situation. If the disappeared, it’s because of their perspective bloodlines.” The two stared and Grima rolled his eyes. “I assume the reason they vanished is because the blood of Grima,” he motioned towards himself. Robin’s hands had grown purple tattoos like they had all those years ago under his gloves. “The blood of Naga which runs through Chrom’s veins, and the blood of Mila and Duma which runs through her veins were in such close proximity. Jed was right about one thing. She has far much more power than one would first think. So being that close with those different dragon descendants, I’m surprised it didn’t happen earlier.”

~’~

“That has to be your wife.” Vaike said beside Chrom. He, Robin, and Vaike were sitting on a hill where they had continued their training after things died down. _____ had explained she would just watch the, for the time being, and they all waited until his older self returned. When he did, she and him embraced and he felt like a little kid watching something he shouldn’t. Now they were watching her and Chrom simply walk around the castle grounds. For a while they did nothing, just talking and walking. And then his older self wrapped an arm around her waist, and now they were nearly plastered to each other, making their way down the cobblestone path. He wasn’t sure how long the two would be there, or what was going to happen, but now he was determined to find out.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Chrom (and Matt Mercer haha)

“Chrom, I had no idea you were still awake.” Emmeryn said, looking up from the paper she was in the middle of signing. It wasn’t like it was all that late per say. The sun had just set about an hour ago. Though of course the sun would set much later during the summer, and they were currently in the middle of said season. Chrom had taken off all of his armor which left him in his sleeveless silks shirt, his pants, and the thick boots he would wear on a day to day basis. Emmeryn herself had taken off her head piece, but that was it. She was still in her gown she would wear on a day to day basis. Chrom walked forwards before collapsing into the chair in front of her desk, his head thrown back in a groan. The sparring he had done that day had been intense. Before they found Robin, the castle didn’t have a mage just on hand. Because of that, it was hard to build up immunity to magic, but he was working on it. 

And well, it was not everyday that Chrom had his older self thrown into him because of time travel. That just didn’t happen everyday. Well his mind traveled to the young man that helped the, fight the risen. He had called himself Marth, not that Chrom actually believed it was his fabled ancestor, probably just a good name to cover up your own. However that was not the reason he came in there. “You gave…my… um,” how did he word this? “My older self,” it sounded weird when he said it, but it got her attention. “You gave him and the woman, ______, a room to themselves. I did not think they were married.” Now he was just fishing, and he knew Emmeryn knew of his intentions. Though she did not seem upset by him digging. More amused by it than anything else. 

Emmeryn set the quill down and leaned back in her seat. “You are correct that they are not married, but you must remember something.” That had Chrom leaning forwards. “While you may be my younger brother, that version of you is nearly ten years older than I am right now. Plus I do not mind them sharing a bed while they are here; the two very well might be in the process of starting a relationship. Does that bother you Chrom?” He hated how she knew exactly why he would ask such a question. It had him blushing and quickly standing before walking out of the room in a huff. 

~’~

“They are suspicious of us.” _____ said as she curled up at the head of the bed. Neither of them were tired, so instead they were just lying in the bed. Or well, Chrom was lying on his side with his head propped up. She had her legs tucked under her. Later after their walk, the younger Lissa had excitedly walked them to their room they would be staying in. Chrom said nothing about the fact that they were sharing one, so she wouldn’t either. Not that it bothered her, quite the opposite. She just didn’t know the etiquette of this time, even further back than the one she was currently living in. It didn’t shock her too much that while Lissa led them through the castle, Frederick followed at a safe distance. Whether he knew both her and Chrom could sense him, she did not know. The Chrom of this time was a fighter, but from what she could tell this was pre two different wars they fought. It wouldn’t shock her much to find out he was not an excellent fighter.

Chrom just shrugged with a small smile. “I was expecting as much from Frederick. He was rather fanatical during this time. You think he was hard with you in the beginning? There were multiple times when he would have killed Robin if it were not for me intervening.” She blinked, feeling Chrom rub her bare thigh while he spoke. It was hard to believe that Frederick could be any more paranoid, but it was not impossible. She had to hide a laugh; Chrom’s lips pressing against her knee while he put a hand under her leg. She allowed him to maneuver her, if not just because he seemed as though he was in a good mood; and it was rather contagious. So before she knew it, he was pressing open mouthed kisses up and down her legs which still had bruises on the, from what happened with Grima. Yet Chrom’s presence dulled the ached that caused. Plus his fingers making tickling motions in sensitive crooks of her body had her squirming and giggling. 

“Chrom!” She gasped, breathless and still laughing. He had moved so his body was hovering over hers, not pinning her down but enough weight to keep her from moving too much. He tickled her and kissed on her legs until they were both nearly panting from the movement and the laughter. When that commotion died down, it hit her how close they were. He had moved up her body and now they were face to face. Their noses were brushing against one another and she couldn’t help but noticed how the long shirt she had been provided by Lissa was also pushed up, leaving her strikingly bare from the waist down. She felt her pulse quicken.

Chrom seemed to sense the change in the room as well since he slowed down. They stared at one another for a moment before he leaned in. His lips were surprisingly soft to her, her having expected chapped skin considering he didn’t exactly have chapstick. As they kissed, she could feel the smallest amount of scruff on his face since he hadn’t shaved in a while. One of his hands were cupping her thigh and the other grabbed her neck lightly. It was all heavy, all so damn heated. Yet she couldn’t hold back the whimper when he kissed down her neck and bit at the top of her breast. He pulled away, his hand still drawing circles on her scarred and bruised leg. “Did I hurt you?” He whispered. But she shook her head.

She was a little embarrassed as to what she was about to admit, but telling the truth was the more appealing option, not matter what. “I… I just haven’t had sex in…well I haven’t had sex since before I came to this time, meaning since before I met you. And it had been awhile since then.” Even though he had an understanding look on her face, she still wanted to clarify her words. “It’s not that I don’t want to have sex with you. I very much wish to do that.” She paused and he took the opportunity to kiss her before slowly pulling back. “Perhaps just not right now though.” He nodded and just smiled and a part of her was mad that he was so perfect. But he just hummed and dragged his calloused hand up her thigh so it was holding her hip. 

“May I still please you tonight?” He asked, kissing her neck and she knew what he was questioning about; especially as his fingers curled in and brushed her. And we’ll damn everything but she wanted him to. While she had been “penetrated” by Grima, it wasn’t like that was truly sex. And Chrom was so gentle with her, especially as he kissed all over his chest, his fingers spreading her folds. Y were already slick, though who could blame her? He was a stunning man. So he touched her and fucked her with his fingers, kissing and licking her skin as he did so. It was almost painfully beautiful. Before long he had her cumin in his hand, the two sharing a deep kiss as she did so. “I love you.” He whispered into her neck and she had to hold back the strange mixture of a shiver and a stiffening if her body. 

Love huh?

~’~

She woke up before Chrom the next morning, deciding to let him sleep in some. While they were still in a troubling situation, she wanted him to get more rest. He and Robin were pretty much her family now, outside of the other mercenaries at the castle. She wanted to protect Chrom and would do her damn hardest to. Hell she had nearly died saving Robin and would only repeat the process for Chrom. 

She ate breakfast quickly before heading back up to their room. Of course the kitchen would make a meal for Chrom no matter the time of day, but people were still milling about eating and she wanted Chrom to spend time with others that cared for him. So _____ made her way back to the room. Not hearing anything, she chuckled, expecting that he was still in the room yet when she opened the door, a form, Chrom’s heavy body, stumbled backwards into her arms. Immediately she could feel blood seeping into her hands and she looked down his chest, seeing a large slash in his abdomen.

“This is a warning Nagas child and future witch.” The voice made her look up and she spotted a masked hooded figure. They were not very tall, nor broad; and whoever it was had a more feminine voice. _____ couldn’t help but think it was a woman. Then her eyes flickered down and spotted the bloodied dagger. It was a deadly looking thing, black and wickedly curved. “My lord wishes for you to return to the future soon. Learn your lessons and scurry back. He will be waiting.” And with that the assassin jumped over them and flew into the hallway. While she knew it would be smarter to let the person go and care for Chrom, she saw red. It was more than caring for Chrom as a family member, it was something foreign in her body. And she only felt a slight burn on her back as she laid Chrom down and sprinted down the hallway after the person, Falchion now in her hand without causing a magical reaction. 

She passed a few familiar faces, shouting at them to get to Chrom, but did not stop. The assassin actually seemed afraid in their gate as they ran. It wasn’t too long before _____ was able to tackle the person and swung Falchion over her head, ready to bring it down for a final blow.

~’~

Thankfully he and Robin had been making their rounds when they did. For a moment, neither of them had been sure as to what happened. However Robin with his quick mind realized it had been ____ frantically sprinting down the hallway like a mad woman, shouting for people to aid Chrom. So they both ran to the room where they had been staying and found his older self sprawled out on the ground, very much alive but very much bleeding far too much. His first thought was to run after her, but Robin was quick to kneel beside Chrom, summoning Lissa to their location through a quick spell. “Go after her. Lissa will be here soon. I need you to to go after _____. She is either going to get hurt or do something she will regret.” Chrom was obviously having trouble breathing. The wise thing to do would be to wait until Lissa or Maribelle got there. Yet both nodded and ran off in the direction she had been he headed. Thankfully it did not take long to find her.

Robin was the first to react. He ran forwards and tackled her off the cloaked figure, who quickly vanished. That left them with _____ who was thrashing and screaming, totally different than she had been previously. Yet they couldn’t ask about that. They had to deal with Chrom’s injuries. When Robin pulled his hand away from her back and his glove was covered in blood, they knew the older man wasn’t the only injured one.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah here we go.

_____ sat down, her heart beating out of her chest. She couldn’t stay in the room where Chrom was recuperating much longer, or she was sure she would have burst into tears in front of everyone. How…why… she had just run. She didn’t think about it; just sprinting after that person that hurt him. It wasn’t like her, to just run head first into something like that. And then she had almost… “Oh god I’m gonna be sick.” She whispered to herself as she slapped a hand over her mouth and an arm around her stomach. Her vision went black for a second, only the sound of the fountain she was sitting on ringing around her. ______ had to suck in deep breathes in the moonlight. Further ahead of her, the light from the castle spilled onto the cobblestone path that lead elsewhere in the garden. Hoping to all the gods she would not be seen, she rushed over to where the grass started in a small patch and emptied the contents of her stomach. The retching was quiet, at least she tried to make herself vomit as quietly as she could. Her hand gripped the bark of the tree and she had never been so happy to be wearing a glove or her hand would have been torn to bits from the tree as well. 

“_____?” A groan mixed in with the next retch upon hearing the sound of her voice. It was this times Chrom, walking down the path with a small lantern in his hand. A part of her wanted to vanish, to use magic to shoot herself a thousand feet in the air or a thousand feet below the surface of the Earth, but her mind was too distracted to focus on a spell. So instead she stood and used the small handkerchief she had tucked in her belt to wipe her face of any vomit as he approached. She hated the look of sympathy that crossed his face, but understood it none the less. “Are you alright?” He asked, knowing full well what the answer was going to be. Instead of say anything, she just shook her head, turning away from him and walking further into the garden. Unsurprisingly, he followed behind her, staying silent but providing light aside from the full moon. In the warm summer weather of Ylisse, she could already feel sweat forming under her clothing. They had just been coming out of winter and into mid spring back in the correct time. That’s why she was still wearing layers. 

She continued on until she came to what looked to be some sort of hedge maze. Not being able to hold back her laughter, she quickly entered. At first Chrom hesitated, or at least that’s what she heard behind her. The light gave it away as well. However he soon changed his mind and followed after her. As they walked, it gave her time to think. It wasn’t like she was trying to lose this Chrom; trying to get him to stop following her. Yet, it wasn’t like she was NOT trying to do that either. “You are just as stubborn as your older counterpart.” She said, still facing her back towards him. A light chuckled emanated through the warm summer night air as they continued. Thankfully, they didn’t hit a dead end once. She was able to continue on unimpeded; or without turning around to look at a face that was surely part quizzing and part empathetic. 

And before long, she took a few more turns and they came upon a fountain in the middle of the maze. It looked a little like the one she had been sitting at earlier, just slightly smaller; surely sized down to be hidden and not show what was at the end of the maze. It was a cute idea, to hide the prize. _____ walked around it and stood opposite of Chrom. She stared at him, hiding her face though. From what she could tell he was looking at her as well, the light illuminating the bottom half of his face as he stared at her. Instead of look any longer, she sat, her back facing him. There was silence before he assumedly sat down as well considering the light still illuminated the center of the hedge maze. “I wanted to thank you. For protecting him…or well, for protecting me, I think.” She snorted as his confused mumbling which quickly turned into a peaceful quiet between the two of them. 

“May I ask why you were throwing up?” Damn so he had seen her. She frowned, looking down at her hands. The handkerchief in her lap still had the drying vomit on it and she thought about throwing it into the fountain for a moment. At least then it would be clean. But she quickly pushed that idea down and just tucked it back into her belt.

“I can’t tell you much, but I can tell you that I don’t come from a place where people are constantly fighting one another. Learning how to kill someone is not something you really do everyday. Killing isn’t something you do everyday. I’ve been lucky enough to have Robin and Chrom by my side so far that I haven’t had to hurt anyone.” She paused. “I don’t know what came over me earlier. Of course I would have tried to protect Chrom no matter what. I just didn’t think I had it in me. I really was going to kill that person.” Her head dropped as she whispered out the last of her sentence. It made her stomach twist again; not enough to cause bile to rise, but enough for her head to pound.

Silence only came from Chrom. He didn’t say a word for a while and she didn’t mind. Once again, it wasn’t like she had really come out to the garden to be with someone. She went out there for some peace and quiet. It was Chrom that just so happened to think she needed company; not that it was surprising, considering how stubborn his older counterpart was. “I remember the first time I killed someone, another human mind you.” He added on to his sentence. As much as she wanted to ask about that, she held her tongue, knowing that he was sharing something supposedly close to his heart. “It was a bandit. We were trying to protect a little village nearby and these people were pillaging. They were just a band of bandits; and they were killing anyone that stood in there way. Some of the villagers had already been killed.”

This time it was Chrom’s turn to pause. All that could be heard was the sound of the fountain, presumably because the maze muffled the noise still inside the castle. “And then they were going after Lissa. All she was doing was healing people, healing the villagers that were hurt but still alive. And I just saw red. I took Falchion and cut them down.” _____ listened. “I was only 14.” And then her heart lurched at the image of a scraggily and scrawny little Chrom killing a man at only 14 years old. That meant Lissa wasn’t even a teen yet. She may not have even hit double digits.

_____ let the air settle between the two of them before she spoke again. “I think I agree with what you did though. If I had siblings and someone was trying to kill one of them, I’m sure I would have reacted in the same way.” Chrom could obviously hear the gears turning in her head because he laughed at the pause in her sentence. “Perhaps that’s why I reacted the way I did with Chrom. I care for him so much.” She stood and walked around the fountain. Now in front of Chrom who was still sitting on the edge of the fountain, she took a deep breath. “I…” But she couldn’t finish the sentence. At least not in front of this Chrom. She would be breaking her own rule, telling him something that someone in the past shouldn’t and couldn’t know. So instead _____ looked back up to the sky. They continued in the silence for some time; with just the light of the moon and the lantern to emanate around the two of them. It was Chrom that broke the silence

“You are so beautiful.” It was a whisper, but she heard it over the sound of the fountain. Her face bloomed into a bright red color and her eyes widened as she looked over to Chrom. He too had a face so bright red it was almost glowing. Of course Chrom’s 19 year old self would flirt with me, she nearly slapped a hand to her cheek as he suddenly stood; noticeably flustered as he shook his hands in front of him. “I didn’t mean it. Or well I did! But I didn’t mean it in the way you think- I well, I yes I do! It’s just that I am-.” 

_____, saving both of them from anymore embarrassment, did in face slap a hand over Chrom’s mouth; two hands in fact, crossed over one another. His eyes were wide and she could feel him pant behind her palms. “I get it!” She shouted before running back into the maze, leaving Chrom to stare at the lamp and then precede to slap himself upside his own head. 

~’~

“How are you?” Emmeryn asked Chrom who was still very much bedridden. The assassin that had been sent after him and _____ was brutally efficient and would have killed him if it were not for _____. The cut from the knife had spanned his entire abdomen horizontally; enough to where both the Mariebelle and Lissa of this time could not heal him completely with their magic. That’s why he was stuck in bed for the time being.

Though, “Much better now that you are here.” He said, grunting a little as he sat up and gladly accepting Emmeryn’s gentle help. Once he was situated correctly, his older sister sat back in her chair, placing her delicate hands in her lap. She was currently not wearing the large golden head dress that she would adorn while in public. Without it, she looked much younger than she usually did. He stared at her, took in all her little quirks and marks; not that she had many. It was more that Chrom just wanted to see her again. It had been years since the last time he was face to face with Emmeryn and he was quickly realizing he missed her far much more than he truly let on.

“Do I have something on my face?” Emmeryn joked, putting a soft hand upon her cheek; but Chrom just sighed, a sad smile forming on his face as he gently took her hand. Her face turned into a confused look before she seemed to shake off whatever she had been feeling. “I wanted to inform you about some things. Chrom is taking the Shepherds up North to Regna Ferox. We have been having trouble with Risen as well as skirmishes on the border with Plegian bandits.” Chrom’s stomach sank like a bag of rocks. This was…had they really been placed in time not a few weeks before Emmeryn’s untimely death. That just seemed far too cruel. Hadn’t he gone through enough having seen it once? For a moment he simply wanted to close his eyes and wish it all away, but he knew it was real and he knew that Emmeryn was about to die. It just seemed far too soon; but who could really tell? Emmeryn obviously noticed the change in his demeanor and caught on quickly. “I assume that something big is about to happen? Something that does not sit right with you?” He glanced up at her through his dark eyelashes and just shook his head. There was a knot in his throat; far too big for him to say anything in that moment.

After a few seconds of Emmeryn being so patient as she always was, he decided to explain; or explain as much as he could. “Yes…I… It’s, let us just say that you are correct. It will effect the future of all of Ylisse, not just us.” Emmeryn gently cupped his cheek, turning his head to face her. There was an understanding look on her face that did cause a tear to slip from his eye.

“Chrom. Whatever happens in the coming weeks, it has obviously already been preordained by Naga herself. I, nor any of us, can change that outcome if it has already happened. You mustn’t feel the pain from the time that has already passed. Do not let it sit within your heart.” Her other hand reached out and pressed right above the left side of his chest. “No matter what happens, I will always be your sister. Lissa will always be your sister; and you will always have the Shepherds beside you. They will always be your family, no matter what.” Chrom bit back a sob as he took her hand, pressing his forehead against her knuckles as he cried. And she sat there with him the entire time; allowing her calming presence to wash over him.

When he finally quieted to tiny hiccups, Emmeryn spoke up. Chrom allowed her hand to slip from his. “There was something else that I needed to tell you.” The air around them suddenly felt lighter, nearly teasing in nature. He watched her smile, a small thing but a smile none the less. “_____ went with them to Ferox.”

“What!” Chrom’s back went stick straight so fast his wound shot a bolt of pain through him, causing him to groan and grab his stomach. Emmeryn reached out and helped him to relax again before he started up. “What do you mean she went with them? Did I, or he ask for that?” It sounded like something he would do when he was younger. A beautiful woman that could fight? That was like a double hit for him now; he couldn’t imagine Chrom of the past.

But Emmeryn shook her head. “No. _____ asked to go. Chrom was rather adamant that she stayed here with you. However she was also stubborn and did not give up. It was Robin that suggested they train and test her to see if she was able to handle herself.” Chrom made a motion with his hand for her to continue. “Well, to put it simply, she knocked not only Chrom and Robin out, but Vaike out as well. She nearly took Frederick out, but you know how he is.” And Chrom did. At this point in time, he would be bigger than her. That had been her problem since she started fighting along side him; that being someone with a size advantage. All he could do was nod, not that it settled his stomach.

“I can’t believe her.”

~’~

“Are you sure that you don’t want to ride on the back of someone’s horse?” Robin asked _____ who was walking beside him. She had a simply steel sword strapped to her waist and the bow and arrow she still wasn’t entirely proficient at on her back. While she was wearing the dress that Chrom bought her before they went back in time, she was now wearing leggings on underneath it. Of course she was sweating now, but Regna Ferox was a wintery country; the equivalent to the Baltics. There was no way she would go bare on her legs up there.

“Robin, I’m fine. I think I would prefer walking anyways.” She glanced up in front of her. Chrom was speaking with Frederick. Lissa was somewhere behind them with the other members of the Shepherds, leaving her and Robin in the middle. Well the healers and other mages were with them. It was Robin’s idea and a good one at that. Of course they wouldn’t want most mages to be on the front lines. Not all of them were as physically strong as her and Robin. He moved a little closer, close enough that no one would be able to hear them. For a moment she had no idea what he was about to do. But he leaned in, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke. 

“When we stop for camp, will you tell me about the marking on your back?”

______ blinked and blinked and blinked before finally looking up at him. “What marking?” The confused look he gave back to her added nothing to the clarity of the conversation.

“When we stopped you from killing that assassin, your back was bleeding. I was able to catch a glimpse of your skin and there was a greyish marking on your back.” He placed a gloved hand on the right side of her body, near the back of her ribs. It had her staring at the ground, suddenly confounded with the new information. 

She glanced over her shoulder at the medical wagon that Lissa was handling, Maribelle sitting beside her. Grabbing Robin’s hand, she ran back towards it, allowing it to pass before jumping on and pulling Robin with her. Thankfully no one was in there and she quickly told the two blondes that she needed to check up on something; and that Robin was going to help her. She thanked whatever it was that was looking out for her as neither girl looked in. They just gave each other confused looks before leaving them alone. Once the curtains were all pulled closed, she started to undress. That caused Robin to blush, though he did not look away. He seemed to be a little more ok with the female form than Chrom was. Probably because of his mage background. Either way, once she was partially nude from the waist up, with a wrap around her breast, she turned so her back was facing him. All the while she twisted to look over her shoulder. At first she didn’t spot it. 

Then Robin pressed gloved fingers to her skin and she turned to the other side of her body. There it was. As he said it was a grey color, though it was darker now, almost black. It looked crusted with blood, presumably from when she had been in fact bleeding those few days prior. From what she could tell, she couldn’t read the marking. _____ had picked up some Ylissean writing, as well as Plegian, but this was neither. Robin pulled her closer as he looked at it, one hand on her other him while the first one continued to trace the shape. “This is Valmese.”

“What?” If it were not for his hand, she would have spun around. However he kept her still. He actually leaned her forwards some, her face now closer to her knees as he observed the mark.

“No…wait. This isn’t Valmese, but close.” She heard him shuffle with something in his robe which was followed by a flicking of pages.

“Robin?” She asked.

“This marking. It’s not Valmese, it’s Rigelian.”

“Rigelian? I don’t understand. I was just in Valm. But I don’t know what Rigel is.” She felt her heart rate pick up as Robin turned her around. A strange look formed in his eyes. 

“Rigel was the old country before Zofia and Rigel unified to create Valm. It was the northern part of the continent. This is an old Rigelian magic symbol.” He flipped the book so she could see what he was pointing at. “Have you recently been in any contact with mages from that country? Being the northern region of Valm.” 

______’s stomach dropped.

“Jed.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I have been in Mexico for the past week haha. It's so funny, my shoulders get so sunburned but nothing else. I get tan every where else.

“Oh my god. Oh my god what the fuck?” She was panicking, shaking as she put her clothes back on. Even as they were traveling, after little amount of time they had been on the road, she could already feel the cool air surrounding them. Ferox, as she had been told, was a snowy country; her only connection she could make was Russia in her reality and time. But, but that wasn’t why she was shaking. Her mind was racing about a thousand miles a minute.

Once she put her shirt back on, Robin placed a gloved hand on her shoulder, turning her slightly so she was looking at him. “Tell me. Tell me everything. I may be able to help.” Her eyes flickered up to his, catching the golden gleam of his iris. In that moment she couldn’t help but wonder if Grima was already within Robin. This Robin, this version of him, seemed so young, probably no older than 18 or 19. He looked happy, not worried about the bigger picture. Perhaps if he did have Grima within him already, he was unaware. Chrom had said something about how they first met; finding an amnesiac Robin in the middle of a field. In this time, it didn’t seem like they had known each other for very long yet; especially considering the nasty looks she had seen Frederick give Robin just on this trip.

However, she also remembered that it wasn’t Robin that did that to her. It wasn’t the man sitting in front of her, giving her the most concerned look. It wasn’t him. Plus, this was the man that would grow to help her and train her; help shape her into the fighter she was now. Robin was reaching out to help her. And all she had to do was take his hand. So she reached up and grabbed his wrist, pulling it off her shoulder and holding it between them. She sighed before releasing him and grabbing either side of her head. The sudden spike of anxiety and anger had caused a piercing headache to course through her head. Such a reaction only caused Robin more concern as he covered her hands with his, moving her head so she was looking at him again. “Please. I want to help you.” It would almost be sickening how kind and selfless Robin was, if they were in a different, less serious situation. However all she could do was nod as she started to explain what happened. Though she made sure to make it as vague as possible. The things she told Chrom right when they got to this time still sat in the back of her mind.

”How could I have been so stupid as to not see it before? Jed was just using us, using me. He used Chrom to get to me for…for something. I just don’t know what.” She sighed, frustrated about how foggy all the information was. She couldn’t even begin to put the picture together; or pictures, considering how complicated it could be. Jed very well may be the person to have brought her to Chrom’s time. He could have set it all up from the beginning; seeing her somehow in her own time and knowing she had the blood of Mila and Duma within her. But the question was, “How? How did he know?” She felt like crying, felt like throwing a punch, but not at Robin. He was staring at her, having moved so his hand was grabbing hers. He blinked and blinked and blinked; and she could see his mind working rapidly to figure out what they could even possibly do at this moment or in the future.

“You said he was a mage right?” Robin asked right as the cart went over a large bump. The two were jostled, _____ nearly landing on top of him if she didn’t catch herself first. Once she shook off the bumpy ride, she nodded.

“Yeah. And I thought it was weird when he was able to immediately tell I was a mage, and had the blood of Mila and Duma within me at that; but I didn’t want to think anything of it. So I just put it in the back of my mind. But now,” She paused, looking down then glancing out the back of the cart. They were at the end of the caravan so she only saw an empty dirt road behind them. The sky further back towards Ylisse was sunny and blue, but she could see the clouds building where they were. While they were not storm clouds, they were quite clearly snow clouds. It would only be a matter of time before the white would fall from the sky and cover the ground. Thankfully before she left, Emmeryn had offered her a large cloak which she gladly took. “but now I see that I shouldn’t have. And I should have brought something up to Chrom and Robin.” It was a little weird talking about Robin while he was sitting right in front of her, but the male knew what she meant so she continued. 

“Jed seemed so…so interested in me. It was so strange. And I would see flashes of this other side of him he hid so well. He hid it from Chrom, Robin, and the others; I was so confused that they couldn’t see his true colors. But there was one night. An assassin tried to take Jed’s life and he killed him in front of everyone, and there was so much blood.” Her eyes squeezed shut at the memory. Even with her almost killing someone, she hated the idea of seeing so much of someone’s blood. And it had splattered on her dress like that; it nearly made her sick.

Robin’s gloved hand took hers and he smiled, gently but prompting enough for her to continue. “At that point, Robin and Chrom saw who Jed really was, or at least part of who he really was. We left the very next day after that. I just don’t understand how he was able to mark me.” Her free hand brushed her back where the marking was, a thoughtful look passing her face. “There wouldn’t have been any time. Unless it doesn’t need any sort of incantation or spell?”

“Putting any sort of markings or runs on someone absolutely needs a spell. Regular attacks one of us would do with the elements does not since that is more a natural movement. We are bending the elements to our will. However magic involving another human, if you do not use a conduit like a healing staff, needs an incantation.” Robin paused, pulling his hands away to bite on a nail while a thoughtful expression crossed over his face. The wheels were turning when he spoke again. “Where were you all sleeping? Like what wing of Jed’s castle?” It was her turn to pause. 

_____ blinked, not quite understanding but answering anyways. “We were in the royal wing. Jed’s bedroom, if I remember correctly, was only a few hallways away from mine. Though it is always hard to tell wh-.”

Robin’s hard look had a shockingly cold realization run through her. She pulled back, her body going taught with anxiety. “No.” Her head shook back and forth as Robin’s face twisted into something like sympathy. Yet her mind raced. “No. No he couldn’t have. I would have felt it right?” That would have hurt me!” Desperation echoed in the small carriage as she felt herself hyperventilating. “No! Oh my god no!” She gasped hard but it felt like no air was sucking into her lungs. Robin and everything around him went blurry as she tried to stand, to get away and to just run, but her legs gave out from underneath her. Somewhere beyond her anxiety muddled mind, she could hear concerned shouts that sounded like they were calling her name but she was not entirely sure. Either way, _____ felt her entire world shifting to the left as she collapsed onto the floor of the carriage; bouncing against the wood and cracking her head as she went.

Still conscious, ______ felt her body twisting in on itself as she gasped for air in any sort of form or fashion. Her limbs shook even as Robin and Lissa came to help her. Both were telling her things, asking her questions; but she just couldn’t respond. Her body was tensing up so hard that she couldn’t open her mouth even if she wanted to. Another few seconds past of them flurrying above her before the carriage was filled in a light blue glow. Somehow ______ spotted the healing staff hovering above her through the anxiety induced haze. Not until what seemed like hours later did her arms stop twitching and the muscles in her body relax. Her head had been bandaged at some point when she was going in and out of consciousness, and her entire body felt like it had been beat to shit. When she opened her eyes again, there was someone new in the carriage; causing her to slowly sit up. 

“You should not be moving,” Chrom started, going to push her back down but she put a hand up which caused him to stop. “Lissa said you needed to rest after hitting your head as hard as you did. You lost a bit of blood.” His eyes were hesitant, but he glanced down at the carriage floor and she followed only to freeze.

The wood that had once been worn and fading, but clean none the less, was now stained with her blood. The pool was much bigger than what would have made her comfortable considering it spanned nearly the width of the carriage. When she looked back up, Chrom was still staring at the stain on the wood, but he looked contemplative if there were a word to put with the expression. He stared and stared and stared and she was about to break the silence but he did it first. 

“I will not ask what caused you to collapse how you did. If you need to keep something to yourself then I will allow you to do so. Well all have our secrets and I do not mind that. And while my future self seems to deem you safe to have around,” He stopped talking, closing his eyes in frustration. When he opened them again, he stared into her own eyes, filled with seriousness; but also bits of exhaustion. “Please just keep my family safe; that includes the shepherds and that includes Robin. Please.” 

She almost had to look away from the intensity in his eyes. It was quite a bit. But she decided against it and leaned in, taking his hands in hers and nodded. “I will. I can’t promise you that they will be completely safe with me around. However if they get put in danger, it will not be because I willingly put them in danger. Plus, I will do everything in my power to keep them safe.” She squeezed his hands and he looked down at them; watching as he himself brushed his thumbs over her knuckles. There was a comfortable moment of silence between the two of them before he finally pulled away, nodding. 

“Thank you.” Chrom went to say something else but stopped when the carriage itself slowed. They seemed to pick up on the commotion both at the same time and they jumped out of the carriage. She nearly tripped at what she saw.

Surrounding the caravan was about 25 to 30 enemies. However there was something off about them. They were surrounded in a purple like light; and they stumbled forwards themselves like slightly more coordinated zombies from the movies. “What the fuck are those?” She shouted, pulling out a sword Chrom had given her before the trip. She still had her arrows on her back but the creatures were too close to use those. Already she could hear the others going at a few of the creatures that suddenly turned VERY coordinated when attacked. 

Chrom pulled Falchion out of the sheath and she couldn’t help but glance at the design. To her surprise, it didn’t look like the one her Chrom carried. This one, while still an ornate sword, had more details. “They are called Risen. All we know right now are that they are more than likely controlled by a dark mage; able to raise the dead to fight for them.” Her stomach dropped but she readied herself none the less. A burst of fire from Robin came blazing past her; followed by a strike of lightening from Miriel. “They can’t feel anything and we must destroy them to keep Ylisse safe. Let’s go.” She didn’t really like how he worded that. How did they know if the Risen didn’t feel anything? Yes they were technically the enemy, but she couldn’t help but wonder. None the less she followed suit, swinging her sword and taking down the first one with a hard slice. Her shock was evident on her face as the thing splattered black blood against her and the ground. A quick look around confirmed that it was happening to everyone else as well. Though the Risen quickly disappeared in a black cloud of smoke afterwards. She would have to ask Robin about it later; he would probably know more than Chrom. 

Her head pounded as she shot a wave of water at one Risen and pushed it into Chrom’s blade. There was another that she surrounded its head with water and rapidly dropped the temp, freezing its skull. With a swift swing of her sword, the entire head was obliterated into chunks of ice. Before she really realized it, all the Risen were gone; only leaving black blood against everything in the area. Some her hair had escaped the band that held it back, now stuck to her face from the sweat. It may be colder already around her, presumably since they made some distance while she was out cold in the carriage, but that didn’t mean she didn’t work up a sweat. Quite the contrary actually. She let out a loud sigh and blew some of the hair away from her forehead only for it to fall right back where it had been while she turned. 

For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, someone in her direct vicinity looked shocked. Robin and Miriel were staring wide eyed in her direction, quickly making their way over to her. Even Frederick looked a little stunned. “You said you were a mage but we had no idea how good you were! What other elements do you have control over?” Robin asked excitedly. Even Miriel looked like she wanted to act like Robin but was holding back, just barely. Not knowing what to do, while also knowing that she needed to keep as much to herself as possible, she sighed. _____ knew it was better to tell the truth, lying would only come to bite her in the butt later. 

“Well…” Chrom was hovering by Robin’s shoulder, but he didn’t look like he understood any of what they were talking about. She almost laughed, considering how knowledgeable Chrom is in his own time. “All of them?” She squeaked out, bracing herself for the reaction she was inevitably going to receive. For a moment, Robin and Miriel simply blinked at her, their faces blank of any emotion. However Miriel was actually the first to respond. ______ would almost label her reaction angry if she hadn’t seen and known Miriel in a fashion for a while now. 

“What do you mean all of them? There hasn’t been a wielder of all the elements in-.”

“Over a hundred years; yes I know. But I wasn’t the one that did this to me. It’s just my blood line. I can’t control that.” Whatever argument or comment Miriel was going to make, she second guessed it and quieted down; stepping back some. Though Robin was quick to step closer, his face full of excitement and wonder. 

“So you can wield the element of earth? Incredible! I can’t wait to see you in action using it. Though now I have so many questions! Is it easier to use the other elements? Like is air easier to use than water and water is easier to use than earth? Or do they all just come naturally to you since you have an affinity for all of them?” 

“Hold on hold on.” She laughed, throwing her hands up and waving them. “I can answer your questions but it will take a while. How about we head out again.” It was then she noticed that snow was starting to fall. So much so actually that the tops of the trees around them were covered in the white substance. Her eyes looked around, noting that people were getting ready to walk forwards again. Frederick had already circled around to the front. “Yeah. I’ll tell you later. Right now I want to get that cloak on. I’ve never been one to like the cold and the snow.” 

~’~

Chrom walked along side of Emmeryn. The day in Ylisse was beautiful, as per usual. Being the current Exalt of the realm, he had a new appreciation for his country that he never had when he was younger. Of course he loved his country at 19, but he never really truly appreciated Ylisse for what it was. Now; now he could see each person and each flower. He could love every cloud in the sky and adore each swaying leaf in a tree. Ylisse was his home no matter where he was in time. “What are you thinking about Chrom?” Emmeryn asked. He almost didn’t want to look t her. Even at her age, so many years younger than he was now, she was so strong. She was still stronger than he ever would be. He had just told her that she was to die within the month and she was acting like he told her the floor was clean. 

None the less he answered, glancing out the opening in the walkway they were passing; both headed towards a trail on the castles property. Staring out onto the sunny visage, he sighed. “I’m just thinking that I miss this. Things are simple now in the time I am in, but being the Exalt is far harder than I ever thought it would be. I was so foolhardy and naïve when I was younger. I miss the days where I could just galivant around the country side taking down Risen with the Shepherds.” 

Chrom blinked, shocked that he let that slip. It wasn’t something he would ever tell anyone aside from Robin. He shared everything with Robin. When he turned to apologize and rephrase, Emmeryn was just smiling up at him. “You may be naïve in this time, but your heart is made of gold. And I should have trained you for the inevitability of my death. It was to happen sooner or later. Both of us were too foolish to have not seen it. The blame does not rest solely on your shoulders Chrom, it never did and never will.” The choking feeling in his throat, Chrom wished he could blame it on his injured stomach still bandaged. But he knew it was the pain of tears in his eyes. That had been….that had been something he always wanted to hear from Emmeryn since he took over the title of Exalt and the war ended all those years ago. Things had been so hard, and they still were. Having her to help him along would have been much better in the long run. But beggars could not be choosers. He nodded and they continued to walk. 

“May I ask one thing? You may not be able to answer me because of your stipulations, and that is fine if you cannot; I am simply curious.” Chrom nodded right as they made their way onto the dirt trail that went into the woods on the side of the property. It made a big loop that was splattered with shade and sunlight, a trail Chrom had often seen Emmeryn walking in the past. It was just in the past few years he had been able to go out on it again. Now with her by his side he felt better about the entire situation. “Robin. I assume your judgement on his character was correct and is now a friend of yours?” Chrom felt his breath stick in his throat. Of COURSE Emmeryn would go right for the sensitive spot. Chrom nearly stopped walking but was able recover in time as he mulled over how to respond. It didn’t seem like a revealing enough topic, as long as he avoided Grima. At the very least he could bring up Robin having problems, but being able to work through them in the end. 

“Robin, he…. He is the person I am closest to now. I know this sounds horrible, but I would only assume I am closer to him than I am to Lissa.” Emmeryn was silent, allowing Chrom to continue as the shadow and sunlight played off of both of their faces. “He…I…” Chrom stopped, physically and verbally. Emmeryn stopped a bit in front of him as well and just watched her brother as he stared at the ground, trying to form the words he wanted to say. 

“It’s ok Chrom.” And the future Exalt didn’t realize it until a second later a tear had slipped down his cheek.

“I love him. I love him so much.” And both of them knew why Chrom was crying. While their father had died when they were young, they could still remember the man’s hatred for same sex couples. Emmeryn had been the one to usher in a new era of equality for everyone within the nation. It had been slow going, but eventually those of the same gender could marry and had the same rights as everyone else. Older citizens still had that horrible outlook their father had; but it was a massive leap in the right direction. Chrom covered a sob with his hand. “I love him.” 

Emmeryn was suddenly in front of him, placing a delicate and beautiful hand upon his cheek. “And I adore and love you Chrom. No matter what, no matter time, no matter what world. You will always be my little brother. You will always be my world.” And she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug as Chrom cried silently into her shoulder. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok the reason our sweet reader has such a severe panic attack is because she is under the impression that Jed raped her. He in fact did not. Though he did mark her with the runes.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a bit of advice, never taken three classes in one summer semester. It will hurt and suck.

Regna Ferox was much colder than she had been expecting. The snow had started to fall further south; almost right when they hit the border between the two countries. Though perhaps she should have been prepared, considering her original times equivalent location to Regna Ferox central northern Russia. Either way she gladly allowed Lissa to curl up next to her; the Ylissean royal family all apparently running hot considering Lissa felt like a furnace beside her. It also helped they were seated beside Vaike, who was even warmer than those of Royal blood. 

“The out post should be coming up soon.” Frederick said, riding up alongside the carriage she and the other two were sitting on. Since they knew the snow would be too deep to walk through on foot, everyone had brought along a steed that was not on a carriage. Thankfully that also cut down on the travel time. Both Chrom and Robin were riding near the front of the carriage as well; nodding having heard Frederick declare their approximate location. 

However she was pretty sure he had not been speaking with Robin, considering the blistering look he was giving him, and her by default. Either way, it didn’t take long for them to reach their destination. But in that time, not only did the winds pick up, but the snow as well. 

“Frederick! I’m freezing!” Lissa gasped beside _____, not meaning to get her in trouble with Frederick but doing just that when the brunette’s head whipped around. His eyes narrowed in on her form, watching as she gave her own look back and wrapped her heavy cloak tighter around her body; all of this taking place completely unaware to Lissa. His angered expression calmed down when he looked towards the blonde princess, a soft smile growing on his face. 

“Come by my horse,” He started. Where they were now, there was a well established road, or at the very least a well established trail. Many had hopped off their horses and were walking them along; so it would allow Lissa the ability to walk beside Frederick as he asked her to without stomping through two feet of snow. “She’ll shelter you from the wind.” Lissa made a move to go beside Frederick but stopped with Chrom and Robin came to a pause before them. Everyone turned and she herself couldn’t help but drop her jaw at the sight. It was not like she had the option to go and travel back in her Chrom’s time. Like, let me just pencil it in around finding out about what the hell Jed’s problem is and the thousand of other things already going on. The fort that stood before them was giant, a majesty of a thing. 

“So this is the fortress?” She heard Robin as Chrom, leaning his head in Chrom’s general direction. The prince nodded, his head bobbing up and down. 

He then turned so he could speak to _____ and Robin, which she thought was considerate of him, considering both of them had never bene up here. “Yes, the Longfort is the name of it. It stretches as a fortified last border between Ylisse and Regna Ferox. The “true border” is further back along the road.”

Frederick seemed sociable again because he was the next person to speak up. “The Khans that rule Ferox have grown quite wary of foreigners. Still, don’t mistake a lack of hospitality for open hostility. This simply calls for a bit of diplomacy.” She could see Chrom was stewing on what Frederick said. “Her” Chrom was a diplomat through and through. There had been a few times she saw him lose his cool, but that was when the safety of his people was on the line. All the other times, he was as cool as a cucumber. Yet this Chrom…Well. 

“Negotiation’s not my strong suit, but I’ll do my best.” She could not help but feel a twinge of pride for him, knowing where his weakness was and how he could recover in other areas. Admitting that you needed to fix something was the first step to making yourself a better person. By this time, she jumped off the carriage and walked towards him. He gave her a quick glance and a nod before continuing. “Remember, everyone: your actions here reflect back upon Ylisse.” They continued up closer to the gate, not having a problem until Frederick spoke up once again. 

“Trouble in the wind, milord: the Feroxi Guard are mobilizing.” And he was not wrong. She whipped up and saw the armored men among the battlements. There silver guards were lined with white fur, only to blend them into their surroundings further but still providing the heat they needed to guard outdoors in this weather. 

“What? Why!?”

“Who can say?” Frederick didn’t sound angry, per say; just annoyed. “But they look ready to let fly at a moment’s notice. We’d best prepare for combat just to be safe. Perhaps we out to pool our supplies and select which Shepherds to put on the front line? Loat as I am to trust him, Robin might offer some valuable insight to this.” She watched Chrom nod before turning towards where she and Robin were standing, though his eyes were on the white-haired male beside her. 

“Indeed he is our tactician after all. So Robin? What do you suggest?” She stood by, listening into how they were going to set up for battle. It sounded about right; about like what she would expect from this sort of fighting force. The bulkier fighters, like Chrom, Vaike, and Frederick were supposed to take up the front line. Then behind them would be her, Robin, and the other long ranged fighters. Tucked behind all of them would be Lissa. Not a mage nor a sword wielder, she had to be protected while she in turn protected all of them. They were about to continue the planning when a deep voiced woman sounded from the top of the wall. 

“Halt! Who goes there?” She shouted over the wind and snow, her voice still booming. Everyone turned and Chrom walked out in front of all of them, looking up towards the blonde; or at least she looked blonde from where they were standing. 

“In the name of House Ylisse, I seek audience with the Khans!” He shouted. It was not too bad for using his words and not his fists. Though the woman’s face, her expression seemed to sour. 

“Not another step my bold lad! I’ve lancers at the ready!” And that was not where she thought this was going to go. Though she didn’t have a preconceived idea about the Khans or their people. 

Chrom seemed absolutely incensed, Frederick as well for he straightened up. “Hold, milady! We are not your enemy! Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discus matters of mutual interest!” 

The booming blonde guard was once again, far from impressed. Her eyes narrowed even at this distance. “My only interest is keeping you out of Regna Ferox brigand.” Well shit. _____ turned towards Frederick and he looked like his head was about to explode in anger. In another situation where they didn’t have arrows and lances pointed at them, she was sure she would have laughed. 

“B-brigand! Now see here-.” Yet the woman cut him off. 

“You think you are the first “Ylisseans” to try and cross our border? I have the authority to fell such imposters where they stand.” And in that moment _____ knew that they were not getting out of this without a fight. She pulled the steel sword that Robin helped her with back at the castle. With the weight of arrows at her back and the spells in her heart, she knew she was ready. Robin seemed to catch onto what she was doing for he reached into his cloak for his book. 

Frederick, the ever wary stalwart of the royal family, just very well was about to jump up the wall and talk some sense into the guard. “”How dare you! You are in the presence of Prince Chrom, the Exalt’s own blood!” 

The bantering was getting on _____’s nerves, that much was for sure. Their screaming at one another was getting them nowhere fast and it seemed as though the Feroxi blonde woman agreed. “Ha! Yes, indeed- and I’m the queen of Valm! You do realize impersonating royalty is a capital offense yes? Mmmm… Then perhaps we should settle this the Feroxi way. You claim to be the prince of Ylisse? Then prove it on the battlefield!” That was that. _____ could not help but admire the woman’s battle-hardened ways. If she was anything to go by, the rest of Regna Ferox’s people would be just fine in her book. Chrom on the other hand. His young face twisted in anger and annoyance but he then sighed. 

“Rgh… Emmeryn won’t like this at all…. Please, good lady! If you would just listen!” But the blonde was not having any of it anymore. She threw up her hands, motioning towards the awaiting archers and lancers. 

“I’ve had enough! Attack!” _____ felt her heart drop; and surely all of the Shepherds felt the same. Chrom had separated himself from the group too much to reach him in time, especially not as the lance wielders pulled their weapons back and threw the spears at him. He turned so the side of his body that was more armored was in front; but that was about all that he could do. That and wait. Yet, suddenly, the area where Chrom had once been was covered in feathers. Robin and _____ shielded their faces for a moment before looking up, spotting none other than Sumia. Chrom was behind her on the Pegasus; safely out of harms way. 

“Shit. My heart nearly stopped. Chrom is such a damn fool.” She muttered under her breath but Robin was in earshot and he just let out a strained laugh in agreement. Before they could say anything else, they turned at the sound of soldiers coming their way. The fight was on; and thankfully it didn’t take long for Chrom and Sumia to settle back down beside them. When Chrom jumped off the animal, _____ stormed forwards. He had a smile on his face, strained from the close call but still there. That’s why he was shocked when she back handed him; thankfully out of sight from Frederick who was in the middle of fighting off a foot solider. “You idiot. Remember that you are the heir to the throne. If Emmeryn were to pass, you are the next in line. Treat your life like its worth something; since it is after all worth a country.” The three others were stunned silent, but she did not have time to heal his bruised pride from her slap. Instead she simply rushed around him, taking down another guard.

It didn’t take long for her to make her way up to the doors. “Locked.” She muttered under her breath. They had knocked out all the guards on the ground and this side of the wall up the steps. She made sure not to kill any of them, and everyone seemed to agree. Behind her, Vaike was mumbling about something, something like ‘let me pick the lock’. He seemed to be bouncing with that energy as Chrom rushed up behind her; presumably Robin on the other side since there had been two doors from what she had seen. 

Vaike continued to chatter constantly until finally she just threw up her hands in frustration, standing up but not moving away from the door. He made a strange confused noise, something that Chrom actually did as well just slightly quieter. _____ lifted her hand and rested it against the wood. For a moment she simply heard the slightest sound of the others working on the door; though perhaps they found a key to use. They did not have the time for that though. 

Instead she took a deep breath, did the enchantment in her head, then just as fast a giant blast of fire came from her hand; sending the door flying off its hinges and presumably blasting against the guard behind it. Behind her, she knew Chrom and Vaike were looking through the passageway with a similar shocked expression. All the other guards turned in their direction with giant eyes, stunned at what had just happened. Though that seemed to take out most of their fight, just the sight of the giant fire ball she had been able to produce. They were more than easy to take down, and before long they were able to take down the blonde woman that had fought them at first. 

Her weighted armor shifted as Chrom pulled her up, his own muscles flexing with chilling sweat. “A thousand apologies Prince Chrom. I truly took you for brigand impostors. But no frauds could ever wage a battle as you just have! I will send word of your arrival to the capital and escort you there personally. I would also like to introduce myself. I am Raimi, Longfort head guard.” She bowed and Chrom mirrored her movements. 

“It is an honor to meet you Raimi. That would be most appreciated, your help that is. Thank you.” And just like that, she walked off, the other guards that they had knocked out were waking up slowly. Robin headed towards Chrom’s side with Lissa in tow, both glancing between Chrom and _____. They had never seen her fight in such a manor so she was not too surprised they were shocked at her talent. 

Though they were more focused on Raimi, just like she was. “Amazing. Her entire demeanor changed.” Robin almost whispered into the snow. Frederick walked over to them, his horses reigns in his hand. 

“In Ferox, strength speaks louder than words. I should have known better than to overestimate the value of diplomacy here.” He trailed off and Lissa just huffed, her breath forming a cloud in front of her feminine face. 

There was some dirt on her cheek that _____ wanted to point out, but presumed it was not the right time to do so. “So can we get going Chrom?” She asked of her older brother. Chom just nodded obviously tired himself. 

“Yes, it is not getting any warmer after all. “

~’~

The trip to the capital was thankfully quicker, and surprisingly much warmer, than the trip from Ylisse to Regna Ferox. They were able to walk their horses, the road clear of snow as they went along. It did not take even a day to get to the capital. And while it was still snowing, the city was warm and alive with people. Everyone was bustling about, the main fortress in the center rising above everything else. All the buildings were made out of a dark grey stone with bits of wood here and there; the fortress a similar construction. _____ knew that the Khans were rulers of the people in that moment, quite a bit like Chrom himself. They obviously would rather walk the city streets with the every day citizen over going to a parliament meeting that would take five hours with nobles. Though she did not know the specifics of Regna Ferox’s government. Perhaps she would never have to know; that was the mystery behind it all. 

Raimi brought their caravan into the fortress and into a giant main room; presumably where they often threw parties from the looks of it. The blonde woman finally turned around and faced the eldest Ylissean royalty present. “Prince Chrom, please wait here while I summon the Khan.” She said, turning and heading out of the room behind a wall. Chrom nodded with a quick thank you and then turned back to the rest of the group. 

Robin was the first to speak in the absence of Raimi. “The Khan is away?” Robin wondered; obviously used to rulers that were immediately ready to see to anyone that called on them. 

“Out training I would wager.” Chrom started and they all just nodded in agreement, especially after the battle they just went through. The Khans of Ferox prefer battle to politics. Or rather, battle IS their politics.” 

“A warrior ruler eh? I can picture him now…” It seemed as though Robin was off in la la land at this point. “A giant of a man of unparalleled thew, his broad chest covered in hair, hehehe….” _____ couldn’t help but giggle as well. Sometimes Robin was more than apparent with his attraction to men, though no one else seemed to pick up on it. Now she really knew that Plegia was far more open with their sexuality, especially considering how close she and Tharja had gotten during her training. 

“Am I now? Please do go on!” An accented deep voice sounded from the other side of the room and was getting closer. It seemed as though all the women in Ferox were of great stature for the woman that was walking over was about _____’s height, and bulkier with muscles as well. Chrom and Robin sputtered, the others in the Shepherds flustering as well. All the while, _____ had to hide the laugh in her throat. Women like this were normal for her. She had been a boxer after all. 

“You’re the-?! Er, that is to say… the Khan, I presume?” Chrom stumbled out somehow and _____ busted a gut laughing; a quick glare was thrown her way by Chrom and Frederick but she didn’t particularly care. The tanned blonde woman seemed just as amused as she winked in _____’s direction before turning back towards Chrom. 

“One of them, yes- The East-Khan. My name is Flavia. I apologize for the troubles at the Long-Fort Prince Chrom. You are welcome in Regna Ferox.”

Chrom seemed to relax some from Flavia’s words. “Thank you, but I’m confident we can put that misunderstanding behind us.” He started, sounding very much like his older self. Is it true bandits posing as Ylisseans have been ransacking your border villages?” His question had a deep flush forming over Flavia’s high cheeks; though it was not from embarrassment or lust. It was anger coursing through her system. 

“Yes. Those Plegian dogs!” _____ couldn’t help but glance over at Robin, though he did not look affected by her words. “We found documents proving as much on the corpse of one of their captains. Plegia must see some benefit in raising tensions between your kingdom and ours.” _____ wished it was as simple as that in her own time. They still had no idea what Jed wanted; and that made her want to get back all that much more. 

“Damn them. I,” Chrom paused and _____ knew that he was not entirely sorry for his language; obviously using that tone much more than a “civilized” and “courtly” one. But he was representing his ethereal sister. “Forgive me, your grace. That was indelicately put.” Flavia did not care; that much was clear. 

Ha! Damn them and damn delicacy! Here in Ferox, we appreciate plain speech.” _____ wished her Chrom took after Flavia’s ways. Plain speech would have been nice since she showed up. Though perhaps he had his reasons for hiding the things he did. 

Once again the anxiety lifted from Chrom’s shoulders. “In that case, you should have a word with your damn border guards.” Frederick choked behind them and it took ____ putting a hand on Frederick’s rapidly approaching chest to stop him from interfering. This was Chrom’s mission. He needed to grow and learn; and hopefully the look she gave Frederick displayed that. 

Though it was not as though any of them had been killed or seriously hurt. It was more like they were just exhausted, and they needed help. Flavia just laughed at his words. “Ha! No that’s Feroxi diplomacy! Yes, I like you already. I know why you have come Prince. Regrettably I cannot provide any Feroxi troops for Ylisse.” That got everyone’s attention. Even Lissa who had been trying to warm herself up beside Frederick. 

“What! Why not?” The younger blonde gasped and Flavia gave her a knowing yet slightly solemn look. 

“I lack the authority.” Flavia’s response came and at that point ____ was more interested in the culture of Ferox than the troops they needed. Chrom could handle everything else. 

“Forgive me,” As she expected, Chrom started in. “But I don’t understand. Are you not the Khan?” 

“As I said, I am ONE of the Khans. In Ferox, the Khans of East and West hold a tournament every few years. The victor acquires total sovereignty over both kingdoms. And that means they have the final say when it comes to forging alliances. The West-Khan wont eh last tournament, you see. And so-.”

Chrom cut her off, obviously not happy. “So we are to receive no aid at all?” It was not like Ylisse was a powerful military country. She knew that much from the time she had been there. They were far more diplomatic than anything else. The Shepherds were like a special ops team that dealt with things a tiny military could not. 

“Not if you always give up so easily!” Oh yes, _____ loved this woman. “The next tournament is nigh, you see, and I am in need of champions.” And it seemed as though she had learned more from her Chrom and Robin than she first though; for she already knew where this was going, unlike the rest of them it seemed. 

“What does that have to do with us?” Chrom asked. 

“Raimi, the captain of my border guard, informs me your Shepherds are quite capable. Perhaps you would consider representing the East in the upcoming tournament? If you win and I become ruling Khan, I will grant your alliance.” That did not seem like such a bad deal to ____. 

Chom was less convinced. “I would have assumed Ylisseans had no place in such Feroxi traditions.” 

“Ha! On the contrary. The Khans themselves do not fight—they choose champions to represent them. Otherwise our land would be rife with blood feuds and dead Khans! We don't involve comrades or kin for the same reason. Over time, it was decided the tournament should be fought by outsiders. Although the outsiders have never included foreign royalty. ...That I know of! Ha! Regardless, it is your choice to make.” Flavia, the giant woman that she was, gasped out the long exclamation with a warrior smile and giddiness that _____ had never seen before. Everyone was a little taken a back by the display. But Chrom was no fool and he knew he had a mission to complete; to get back to Emmeryn and Ylisse with good news. 

“There is no choice East-Khan. My people are desperate. We face not only Plegia’s constant attacks, but now the added threat of the Risen.” He sounded almost solemn as he spoke. “If fighting for you is the quickest way to an alliance, then we will take up our steel.” 

The blonde woman was over the moon, busting out a laugh that would be more appropriate for a man with a much bigger stomach than hers. “Oh I like you Prince Chrom.” A brief moment where her eyes flicked to _____ and she wondered how much Raimi told Flavia about their encounter at the Longfort. “I do hope you survive the tournament. Come, I’ll show you the arena where the tournament is being held. There will also be a large banquet before the tournament and then after for the victors. But be wary. I hear an equally able swordsman champions the West-Khan.” Flavia laughed, clapping a large hand on Chrom’s shoulder and leading him in front of the rest of the group. Beside _____ Robin slipped up to her and they all followed after the two leaders of their respective countries. 

~’~

Just as Flavia said, there was a large banquet for the battling teams before the tournament started. The hall was large and full of people, servants and fighters alike. Everyone was more than marry and laughing about, and the Shepherds were trying their hardest to follow suit; though there was so much riding on the line that they could not quite get to the point of everyone else. 

_____ allowed her eyes to wonder around the hall as Vaike and Stahl drank beside her. Everyone was so loud so she just tried to block most of it out; that is until her eyes spotted a familiar head of dark hair. Though it was not quite the dark headed individual she had been riding up to Ferox with. 

Thankfully she was able to slip away from the group and walked over to the other table without much of anyone noticing her. The other person was sitting by themselves so _____ did not have to worry about much; or at least worry about making a scene. Finally she was standing beside the person and she tried to put on a relaxed face. “Hello. May I speak with you privately? I am no danger to you, I know that much.” Her eyes roamed over the sword at the young one’s hip and they seemed to get the message. 

That they could easily kill _____, and would do so if need be. To her glee, the young one followed her to a quiet and secluded area of the hall before _____ turned around, her face turned into a frown. “Lucina?” 

There was no denying it was Chrom’s young daughter that stood in front of her, especially as she tensed; caught red handed. “I’m not going to ask what you are doing here, but you need to be careful. I can only assume that you time traveled somehow as well; similar to what happened to me and my Chrom.” The bits of the young woman’s face that was exposed looked absolutely befuddled. “But I know that your father would not want you getting hurt, whether that be at his hands or someone else’s. I can only assume you are protecting him in some form or fashion; but do not be as foolish with your life as your father is. You are important to your family and your country.” She had to pause, completely out of breath. _____ seemed to have made it the fashion to chew out Chrom’s dumb bloodline; or well just his blood. Lucina was his daughter after all. And the young woman was stunned silent, unable to respond as _____ walked back to the Shepherds table and gracefully avoiding their questions as to where she ran off to. 


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sjodfiasof sorry I'm trying yall. I definitely won't give up on this story though. I love Robin and Chrom too much. And I am about half way with my internship!

God _____ was tired. Absolutely tired beyond compare. Her head was pounding, even as the Shepherds were waking up from the strained sleep they just went through. Apparently mead was much stronger during this time and in Regna Ferox than anything that she had at like, the Renaissance festival back from when she was from. Her eyes trailed over to where Chrom and Robin were seated, slowly waking up with a presumedly equally bad hangover. She held back the small laugh that would more than likely nearly destroy her damn skull. Each fighting team had been given a smaller sized unit house for the night; and they all could already hear the tournament’s noise, already started early that morning. _____ had no idea how they did it, knowing full well that everyone at the celebration had been drinking. Perhaps they were just more acclimated to the process of drinking until one passes out then getting up and fighting in a death match at the ass crack of dawn. 

Either way, everyone else started to wake up as well; and she was not surprised in the slightest that Frederick was already up and running like a well-oiled machine. Hell, he had even been drinking himself. Perhaps he just had a high tolerance. Once everyone was dressed, and ______ had slipped on the fighting gown Chrom had made for her before they were thrown back in time, they headed to the arena where the tourney was taking place. _____ was behind everyone else, Robin striding beside her. “If you do not want to, you do not have to fight.” Robin started up. _____ just glanced over at her, not sure why he was starting into this now. He had seen her fight; and honestly she was almost expecting Chrom to say this, not Robin.

They entered the arena and the sound of cheering and sword fighting echoed around them. As the others headed towards the area where the warriors waited, Robin grabbed her arm, holding her back and spinning her to face him. _____’s eyes widened in surprise, considering even her Robin had never acted in such a forwards fashion. “Please. Don’t fight. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Now she was really shocked. Robin was one of the few people that advocated for her going to Regna Ferox with them. For him to just turn around and plead that she does not join them? It was…odd to say the least. “Chrom…he…. He worries about you, even with such a short period of knowing one another. I am simply worried that he will be upset.” Ahh, there it was. That sounded much more like the Robin she knew; to cover his love and adoration for Chrom, even this early on in their relationship, with the guise of concern for his well being. The hackles that had been raised upon Robin’s first words lowered.

“I understand your concern Robin. But I will be fine. Chrom seems to believe in my skills for the most part,” She punctuated the sentence with laughter. “If something goes wrong, that will just be on me. Hopefully Chrom understands that. Now come.” _____ wanted to finish the conversation before Robin could say anything else. She grabbed his arm and started tugging him in the direction of where, surprise surprise, Frederick was waiting for them. Robin may not be entirely used to the older man yet, but she sure was. She just smirked at Frederick as they passed into the waiting area where the other Shepherds were. When they entered, Chrom glanced over in their direction, his eyes narrowing for a moment at seeing her and Robin so close to one another.

“It seems like Flavia has more sway than she first thought. She was able to convince the other Khan to push us and one other team into the finals.” 

“What? So soon?” Even _____ was surprised. “I thought we were going to have to fight multiple teams to make it to the finals.” _____ stated as she let go of Robin’s arm and took a step towards Chrom.

“We were all under that assumption. However she has spoken with the other Khan and apparently explained the situation with Plegia. The other Khan wishes to be read of the problem as well; though of course we still have to “work for it”, as Flavia put it.”

“What of the team representing the other Khan?” _____ did not turn around fast enough, but it sounded like Vaike who had asked the question. It seemed to have Chrom frowning, eyes narrowing as he looked towards the shouts of waiting spectators. 

“It seems as though there is a skilled swordsman from Ylisse on the team.” In that moment, _____ knew Chrom was aware of Lucina’s presence in this time. Whether he knew exactly who she was or not was not clear; but there was no way he would act in such a way if it were just some random sell sword that could swing it well. She walked up closer to him, not particularly caring that everyone could see her drag him to the other side of the room out of earshot. 

When she spoke, his blue eyes found hers. “Now Chrom, remember to be reasonable about all of this. Flavia did not state you have to kill these people. Incapacitation is just as fine, if not better; especially for you.” From what he stated to her before, while they were still at the castle, he did not like killing. Even his older counterpart seemed to avoid it; though he obviously had been through a war that this Chrom had not. Her Chrom was aware that when it was necessary, he would strike to kill.

It seemed that her play towards his emotions worked well enough. He nodded, the scowl on his face smoothing out much to her joy. “I agree with you. It seems as though my older self is lucky to have such a level headed partner by his side.” 

While she did flush at the compliment, she also just shook her head. “That is kind of you, but your real level headed partner is standing right over there.” She pointed back across the room, her finger guiding the invisible arrow right towards the only Plegian in the room. Chrom’s eyes found Robin’s form before he looked back towards her. There was a question on the tip of his tongue, she knew it was formed and ready to slip from his lips; but he just was not there yet emotionally. Not that she particularly blamed her. Apparently Chrom’s father had been very homophobic, the entire country taking after his ideology. 

So while she had seen the loving and caring looks the two would give each other, in both the future and right where she was, there was no doubt they would be eaten alive by the public. To keep it hidden at the moment was more than likely the safest option for both of them; especially considering people in this time and this world were not quite as adverse to killing as her very first original time was. 

Chrom’s eyes were screaming of fear as the crowd got ready for the Shepherds to come out. It was quite clear he was scared of what she thought about him and Robin, and what she would do about it. While the others walked passed them towards the opening, she grabbed Chrom’s arm and pulled him back as fast as she could. “Chrom, it’s fine; about how you feel towards him. I could not care less. Hell, I am attracted to women and men, just like you.” It seemed like such a mundane thing where and when she came from. Of course there was still persecution and homophobia in modern times. It seemed like something that would never end; but of course compared to what he probably went through his entire life growing up? The fear of death? She knew that letting him know about her own preferences and her standing beside him, that was the least she could do. 

It seemed like her words worked. His entire body relaxed, like it had been a chord pulled taunt and for the first time in his entire life someone released him from the pressure. He even took her hand that had been holding his arm in his; bringing the knuckles up to kiss before he turned it over and pressed a kiss to her palm. Chrom’s entire face looked so pained and relieved and saddened and relaxed; all at once. “Thank you.” He whispered, and a part of her wondered if he truly had realized his feelings for Robin yet, or if her saying what she did finally provided that little push he needed. 

“Chrom… of course. If you have any questions for me, please just ask.” _____ stated, brushing some of his hair out of his face before the two stepped away from one another and turned towards the entrance to the arena. They rushed over to where the other Shepherds were standing and _____ realized then and there just how important fighting was to the people of Regna Ferox. This was like a damn football game!

Across the way, Chrom looked and spotted just who he thought it would be. That masked fighter from before. The two teams prepared for battle, setting up with who needed to go where and who’s responsibility was who’s. 

Before long, it seemed as though those two were the only ones in the entire arena. 

Chrom could still hear the shouts of Lissa beside him, her gasping as she pointed across the arena past all the other fighters. “Chrom! Look!” They all turned in the direction she was looking at. Standing there was a familiar form. 

“I see him…” Chrom stated quietly. It was “Marth”, the same swordsman from before that had been so quick with their hands. They were in a tough fight if this was the special fighter the other Khan was able to collect. The fighter said nothing, simply staring at them from the other side of the circular area. “Marth!” Chrom shouted. “One question, before we begin?” Chrom needed to know some things. 

Yet Marth was silent, just causing Chrom to scoff in frustration. “Fine then. Our swords can speak for us!” They pulled their weapons and Chrom’s eyes widened when Marth pulled out a sword that mirrored his. “Where did you get that? There is no way.” Chrom sped forwards before anyone could stop him and his and Marth’s Falchion’s clashed against one another. “Tell me! Who taught you how to fight like that?” It was a good question for the uninformed, considering they were mirrored movements to Chrom’s. Marth just gritted their teeth and pushed Chrom back towards the Shepherds. 

“My Father!” 

And the battle started. _____ knew exactly what her job here was. She rushed forwards past all the others; much to the obvious chagrin of the others. Hell she even heard Chrom shout for her to stop and come back. But she was not having it. There was something more important going on that he could not know about, but that she had to do.

_____ blocked axe swings and rushed pasts blasts of magic. The arena was not terribly huge, but dodging all the attacks made it seem like the size of a football field as she sprinted. Lucina was staying back for the most part; obviously the leader of the team. And _____ was happy she was that, happy that she did not have to worry too much about keeping Lucina safe. The obvious animosity between her and Chrom, however, gave her pause. That was one of the main reasons why she headed straight for Lucina. Before the young woman could react, _____ called upon a large wall of fire shooting it out in front of her and just avoiding the side of Lucina’s body. Luckily the young woman was fast enough; though she was not as fast as fire. _____ bent the wall of flames, moving it with her arms in a circular motion so the two moved closer and closer. Lucina, who obviously had put on a tough face up until now, shuffled closer and closer while also trying to stay as far away from _____ as possible. Not that _____ could blame her. If a random woman came up to her and started spewing about he she knew her and other things, it definitely would freak her out as well. 

“I’m not going to hurt you.” _____ shouted, the crowd giving her enough cover to ensure Chrom and the others would not hear her. “I just wanted to keep you out of the fighting so Chrom does not have to worry about you.” Those were the magic words apparently. Lucina stumbled forwards while _____ continued to create the barrier around them and everyone else. 

“My father knows?” She shouted absolutely terrified. But _____ just shook her head. 

“No! But he is smarter than everyone thinks. I do not want him to worry about you.” Those words seemed to lessen the stress in Lucina’s shoulders. It seemed like everyone was calmed by her words that day. _____ simply watched Lucina, making sure that she would not jump through the fire to get to her father. “And Robin and the others can protect him!” She shouted again. This time Lucina blinked and looked back towards her, her eyes barely visible through the mask. One would have to be looking to see them. “Just wait here with me. When the fighting dies down, act like I won the fight! Chrom needs the men to fight against Plegia!” Another blow. She knew Lucina would say yes if it were for the good of Ylisse, her family, and her people. The young woman just seemed like that kind of kid. 

So the two did exactly that; they waited until they heard the fighting die down when _____ nodded in Lucina’s direction. She nodded back and threw her Falchion onto the ground and knelt down as well. Once she was in position, _____ lowered the fire and allowed it to dissipate. Once it was gone, and everyone could see what was going on, the crowd went wild with cheering; ecstatic that Flavia’s team had come out victorious. 

Though…

“What in Naga’s name did you think you were doing!” Chrom shouted as he ran over to her, grabbing her arm the same time Lucina stood and made her way to the side. “You could have been killed acting like that!” Good. Not that she could have been killed, but that she was moving the attention away from “Marth”. Chrom did not need to worry about anything else. 

She just sighed and turned in his direction. “It’s fine.” ____ stated. “We got Flavia the win she needed. Now you also have the troops you need to take on Plegia. We can be done with this entire situation; it’s a win win for everyone. 

Chrom did not look entirely convinced at her words. Neither did Robin if everyone was being honest. But it was the best she could give them at the time, hell it was all she could give them without her Chrom’s guidance. 

Though now they would be headed back to Ylisse since they got the help they needed. That’s all that mattered at this point. 

Upon the next day when they were supposed to leave, Flavia guided everyone into the main room they had first been brought into. “Well fought! You have my respect. And, perhaps more to the point, you have your alliance. I will provide Ylisse with the soliders she needs.”

Chrom gasped. “Truly? Thank you, East-Khan.” He truly was relieved. 

“I should thank you! It feels like ages since I’ve held full power. Come, my new friends! Tonight, we celebrate!” And while they would have love to do such a thing, they did need to get back as soon as possible. She headed out of the room with a smile on her face while a larger man walked in. _____ had never seen her even in the future so it was understandable all the others looked confused. 

“Bah! Any excuse for a party and Flavia jumps on it!” The bald man said. He was tall, like a damn giant with winter clothing on and a large axe hooked to his back. 

Chrom gave _____ and Robin a quick glance and she just shrugged her shoulders. “I’m sorry have we met?” Ever the kind gentlemen Chrom was.

I’m the West-Khan you so rudely removed from power! You’re hand with a sword boy. I thought for sure I’d picked the stronger man.” And Chrom almost had to agree with him. 

Though Chrom wanted to know more. His curious side was coming out. “What do you know about him?” 

“You mean that “Marth”? Bah! He’s just some sell sword with delusions of grandeur. All I know is that he turned up one eve and knocked my old champion flat. It was love at first sight, and I’m generally too old for such things! Baha! Anyway, he’s gone now. Up and fled the moment you all dragged him on the floor.” Lissa sighed beside Chrom, attracting the attention of a few of them. 

“He’s so dark and mysterious…” _____ would have almost laughed at Lissa’s words if she did not already know who “Marth” was. 

“Sounds like Marth’s got at least one fan.” Robin chuckled, nudging Lissa’s shoulder. 

“Well,” Lissa blushed. “I mean c’mon! He is sort of dreamy isn’t he?” It was such a sweet teenager thing for Lissa to say, it had _____ smiling. 

Then Chrom turned to her and _____ really laughed. “And YOU’RE sort of dreaming!” Such a big brother response. 

“Lighten up! I was just kidding!” Lissa pouted back. The two of them really were young siblings. It was refreshing to see them go back and forth with each other in all honesty. 

Though this time, Frederick butted in. “Milord? Milady? If this fascinating discussion is over, we’d best return home. The exalt will want this news of our alliance immediately.” Especially since that was the reason they came to Regna Ferox in the first place. 

“Right as always Frederick.” Basilio was quick to cut everyone off from leaving though. He was wanting to give Chrom a gift for winning which came in the form of a new solider; one that looked like he was about to take a big shit, like he was severely constipated with that hard frown. Lon’qu was his name, and his game was being the best sword user in the business. 

~’~

_____ knew that her Chrom would be furious when they got back to the castle. That was part of the reason why she almost wanted to avoid it, to just live out her years in Regna Ferox. However she knew that everyone else was taking a chance, they were fighting for their lives. Confronting Chrom about her choice to go with the rest of them to Regna Ferox seemed like a little price to pay in the grand scope of them all fighting. At least the weather was warmer down in Ylisse. If she absolutely needed it, she could just make a run for the damn woods. 

Yet when the caravan approached the castle, and entered the court yard where everyone exited from the carriages, Chrom and Emmeryn were waiting. Apparently Chrom healed much faster than everyone else as well. He was standing on his own, his color was back, and from what she could tell he had no bandages wrapped around his body. 

When _____ exited the carriage, her face flushed with shame, she tried to move herself so this times Chrom was standing in front of her. However he was far unaware of what she was doing and moved away, leaving her and her Chrom a straight path towards one another. “Ugh, haha, hey there.” _____ raised one hand in a meek gesture of surrender. 

There was a brief moment where she thought it was all going to go to shit. Like it was the quiet before the storm or the build up before the drop off. Chrom made his way down the steps, looking as regal as Emmeryn beside him even in just those dark pants and the pale tunic with dirty old boots. His thick arms were crossed over his equally thick chest as he came straight up to her. 

_____’s first instinct was to flinch away, to hide and to run. But Chrom was apparently full of surprises. His arms reached out fast enough to where she could not avoid him. They wrapped around her and pulled her close, her face pressed into his pecs as one of his hands reached up and dug itself into her locks. “Don’t scare me like that again. Please. I…I-“ Chrom stopped mid sentence, leaving her to wonder as to what he was going to say; but not enough pieces to put things together. All she could do was nod then wrap her own arms around him, pulling him just as close to her as she was to him.

“Ok Chrom. Ok.” That was all she could say, all _____ could think of. She had scared the hell out of him. If he had done that to her she would have been just as worried. Perhaps it was lucky that he had been injured when they left for Regna Ferox; gave him time to rest his body and his mind. The others buzzed and moved about them as they unpacked from the horses and the carriages. Before long, it was just the two of them. 

“I think you need to speak with Robin.” She whispered as she moved her face closer to his. Chrom hummed, pressing a quick kiss against her lips. 

“And why would that be?” Chrom questioned back before stealing another kiss from her lips. The one hand that had been at the base of her skull gripped her hair tighter while the one on her waist lowered, grabbing her hip. 

“I just…I just think you need to talk to him. Just see how he is doing. Of course don’t disclose anything about the future,” The ‘don’t talk about how you are fucking him during out time’ went left unsaid but completely understood. It seemed like they all had come to something of a mutual understanding of one another’s feelings. To what extent for her and Chrom, she was not entirely sure. It seemed like she understood Robin’s affections much more at this point. Though that did not mean this times Robin and this times Chrom understood what was going on. 

And perhaps Chrom realized that as he kissed her lightly once again. When he pulled away, his eyes were open, staring at her and taking her all in; every worried line on her forehead and every freckle brushed over her cheeks. “Ok.” 


End file.
